International Truck and Engine Corp. announced Wednesday, June 27, that its Brazilian subsidiary MWM International Motores, and Brazil-based supplier Tupy, will provide compacted-graphite iron cylinder blocks for the new MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 big bore diesel engines.
Tupy will cast the advanced CG iron cylinder blocks at its plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and MWM International will machine the blocks at its Santo Amaro plant, also in Sao Paulo. The machined blocks will be shipped from South America to International’s new engine plant in Huntsville, Ala., where the MaxxForce big bore engines will be assembled.
“Our ability to source globally and utilize MWM International for the machining of this new innovative block design demonstrates our commitment to integration and growth as a global company,” says Persio Lisboa, vice president of purchasing and logistics for the International Engine Group, based in Warrenville, Ill. “This also allows us the opportunity to leverage our assets to serve the North American market, while creating a competitive advantage for our MaxxForce big bore engines.”
“We knew the big bore team was focused on finding the highest-quality machining source that was cost-competitive globally,” says Waldey Sanchez, president and chief executive officer of MWM International. “Our Santo Amaro plant offers cost, quality and logistical advantages that helped us get selected over other worldwide competitors. We are very proud to have been chosen.”
In late 2006, Huntsville was selected as the site for the assembly of the new engines. To accommodate the work, a new state-of-the-art plant is being built near International’s current manufacturing facility in Huntsville. Production in Huntsville will begin in spring 2008. Initial engines will be partially assembled in Germany and finished and trimmed in Huntsville.
The MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 – which International says will provide owners and operators with outstanding fuel economy, excellent power characteristics, low noise vibration and harshness, and high strength, all without added weight – will be offered in International ProStar linehaul tractors, TranStar regional-haul tractors and WorkStar severe service vehicles in the United States and Canada beginning later this year.
“The MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 will be the first heavy-duty diesel engines in North America to leverage advances in manufacturing technology to offer an engine block cast from CG iron,” says Jacob Thomas, vice president of International’s big bore business unit. “The use of this material allows us to provide a high-strength block without added weight – a valuable attribute for our truck customers.”
