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2nd Quarter June 2011 Newsletter | | Give Feedback

GUA Distributor Conference 2011

This year, the GUA Distributor Conference was held in Suzhou-Hangzhou, China from March 21st to March 24th. The audience comprised of 80 AR and IR distributors and GUA team members from Sales and Marketing departments from ASEAN.

Keynote speeches were given by our GUA President, Mr Paul Lee and Managing Director for GUTC, Mr Henry Hu to detail GUA’s corporate strategy and direction which highlighted Gates’ 100th anniversary and GUA’s 40th anniversary.

Distributor certificates were presented to each distributor, followed by a tour of the factory plants 1 and 2 in Gates Unitta Power Transmission Company, Suzhou which highlighted the sequence and importance of each belt production process. Distributors were impressed with the strict quality control procedures in place for each process, which reassured them of Gates high quality products. The day ended with a lovely dinner and the group was treated to a spectacular West Lake show in Hangzhou.

The next day, the launch of new products and programs was the focal point for the product presentations segment for respective AR and IR teams. New products such as water pumps, filters, car care products and Super HC Plustm Vextratm EPDM belts were introduced. In-depth product information was also provided to equip distributors with knowledge and confidence to sell more of Gates products.

The event culminated with the gala dinner where distributors were entertained with various dance performances and games related to the "Through the Ages" theme. Top 3 prestigious best distributor growth awards for automotive and industrial power transmission products were also presented in recognition of their outstanding sales contribution.

Before the conference drew to an end on 24th March, the group of distributors visited Gates Waigaoqiao plant in Pudong which specializes in auto tensioners. During the plant tour, distributors were introduced to the OE parts production assembly and state-of-the-art testing equipment used to ensure quality of Gates tensioners is not compromised.

It was a productive event which provided the opportunity to introduce new products and programs for 2011, cultivate good working relationships and celebrate Gates 100th year of success.

GUA Distributor Conference 2011

 

New Marketing Material: Fuel Line Hose Brochure
(in English)

 

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This new fuel line hose brochure provides a quick view on the range of Gates hoses, highlighting key features and benefits. For more information, please contact your local Gates sales representative.

Product Focus: Gates Automotive Belt Tensioner

How a tensioner works

The vast majority of vehicles with serpentine belt front end drives- over 100 million- use automatic belt tensioners. Tensioners are built into the drive system for several reasons. They are designed to:

  • Maintain proper tension for the life of the belt.
  • Reduce maintenance by eliminating the need to manually retension belts on a periodic basis.
  • Provide consistent and correct belt tension, thereby increasing the bearing life of the accessories.
  • Prevent belt slip. A belt that slips can be noisy, can have reduced service life and can cause accessories to function improperly.

Tension is provided by a powerful spring located within a small canister-like housing and the tensioning arm. The arm pivots around the spring housing and generates a constant belt tension. The pulley is attached to the arm.

When to replace it

Tensioners, like any other part, don’t last forever. To reduce belt warranty problems, comebacks and labor claims, Gates Corporation engineers recommend that the serpentine belt and its automatic tensioner be replaced at the same time.

It is highly probable that the source of belt system damage (excessive belt wear, tension loss, vibration, misalignment etc) is the result of a worn tensioner.

Round Torsional Spring VS Flat Spring Technology : Which has greater technical advantages?

A round torsinal spring by its very nature is stronger than a flat spring. It’s designed to provide constant belt tension through rotation, rather than creating tension through coiling. Round torsinal spring engineering makes it the OEM choice on a wide variety of automotive and industrial applications. Here’s why:

  Round Torsinal Spring   Flat Spring
1 Applies an even rotational load that offers resistance to a compressive force. 1 Applies resistance through an unevenly distributed concentric coil.
2 Coil spring materials and manufacturing process provide tighter dimensional tolerances for better output control.
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2 provide tighter dimensional tolerances for better dimensional tolerance control. As a result, flat spring dimensions may vary significantly.
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3 Applies constant tension across a wider range of motion because coil diameter remains constant.
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3 Tension varies because coiled design operates within a narrower range rather than operating across all areas of the spring.
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4 The spring creates no heat build up. The damping mechanism is a separate unit located between the spring and the aluminium casting. Less heat means longer tensioner life. 4 Builds up heat from friction caused by greater surface contact of the spring coils. Heat increases tensioner component wear and failure.
5 Has fewer stress points to weaken tensioner.
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5 Has more stress points along the spring edges that can weaken tensioner resulting in spring fatigue.
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Why Choose Gates?

Gates builds only round spring automatic belt tensioners. Each with the OE look, fit and long-lasting performance demanded by OEMs. Gates tensioners require no retrofitting to make them work.

For more information, please contact your local Gates sales representative.

 

Gates Sponsored Racing Competitions

In the months of April and May, Gates Powerlink® distributor, Thai Two Wheels Business Co., Ltd (T2W) sponsored and participated in 2 scooter drag racing competitions in Thailand.

During these events, promoters and the attractive bright red Powerlink® display units served as a beacon to lead event-goers directly to the Powerlink® mobile unit. The display units showcased a wide range of Gates Powerlink® scooter belt applications for scooters in the 50-150cc range. Introduction videos highlighting useful information such as product features and benefits were also used to engage the audience to boost brand awareness.

In addition, we sponsored Gates Powerlink® scooter belts to award the winners in the competition. Participating in these events serve as a platform to build customer confidence and ignite passion in our products and are a part of T2W's efforts to increase awareness and drive sales.

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Industrial Synchronous Belt Sprocket Training
for GUTC Associates

Mr. Hagiwara and Mr. Masuda from GUA facilitated a product training held in the training room in GUTC. The training on sprocket knowhow aimed to impart basic knowledge to the customer service team, field sales and operations associates. A total of 15 participants were introduced on basic pulley nomenclature, industry applications and types of available options. Questions and answers filled the session and many gained invaluable knowledge and practical tips from the trainers.

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Thailand Distributor Shows The Way on a Poly Chain GT2 drive conversion

Thai Leo Brother, an industrial distributor of the Gates Unitta Thailand Company, has again demonstrated their expertise on a hands-on drive conversion from a chain drive to Gates Poly Chain GT2 system. The target this time was on their very own in house belt slitter. The belt slitter is used to process unfinished slabs to exact width belts for their customers. The converted Poly Chain GT2 drive has become a showcase for their visitors and a life example of another successful drive conversion using a Gates premium product. Thanks to Thai Leo for the exemplary initiative!

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Relocation of GUA Thailand Sales Rep Office

Ploenchit Center

Effective 1st May 2011, Gates Unitta (Thailand) Co., Ltd (Bangkok office) will be relocated to the address below:

2 Ploenchit Center, G Floor, Sukhumvit Road,
Klongtoey Bangkok 10110 THAILAND

Telephone: (66) 2305-6639
Fax Number: (66) 2305-6641