HORSE Pledges €32.8 Million For Sustainable Cylinder Head Production In Brazil

Published: Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 19:03 [IST]

HORSE is set to invest in a new production line at its Curitiba plant in Brazil to cast aluminium cylinder heads using a tilting gravity casting process. This facility will produce cylinder heads for the company's 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre flex fuel engines, with an annual output forecast of 210,000 units. The investment totals €26.3 million and is expected to create 60 new jobs by 2026.

Antonio Vaz, Chief Process Engineering Officer at HORSE, stated: "By investing over €30 million in cylinder head production at Curitiba, we’re further localising the supply chain for some of our most valuable engines for the South American market. This new line also pioneers some of the most energy-efficient casting methods in the industry, with zero waste to landfill. It signals our commitment to South America and to next-generation processes at scale."

The new production line will support HORSE’s HR10 and HR13 turbo petrol engines, designed specifically for the South American market. These engines can run on both gasoline and ethanol, promoting the use of flex fuels in Latin America. Both engines feature delta-shaped cylinder heads that save mass and space while improving thermal management.

Wesley Palma, Operations Director at HORSE Curitiba, commented: "This investment recognises Brazil's ever-growing importance to HORSE and the global automotive industry. Building on our previous investments to produce the HR10 engine in Brazil, this new initiative will further localise production for both our HR10 and HR13 engines with domestically cast cylinder heads. This will help us streamline our supply chain and further reinforce Brazil's role as a critical hub for automotive innovation."

In addition to the new casting line, HORSE will invest another €6.5 million in enhancing Curitiba’s engine testing and validation capabilities. This upgrade aims to accommodate the increased production volume from the new facility. The entire project is scheduled to be fully operational by October 2026.

The Curitiba plant's new line will be HORSE’s first globally to employ gravity casting for cylinder head production. This method is highly efficient and produces components with excellent mechanical properties. The process uses sustainably sourced inorganic sand, ensuring zero waste goes to landfill as all production waste can be recycled.

HORSE: A Leader in Automotive Innovation

HORSE was established to deliver efficient, low-emission powertrain solutions worldwide. The company operates eight manufacturing plants across seven countries and three R&D centres, producing 3.2 million units annually for customers globally. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, HORSE employs over 9,000 people.

HORSE Powertrain Limited oversees HORSE as a division focused on hybrid and combustion powertrain solutions. With headquarters in London, UK, it employs 19,000 people across 17 plants and five R&D centres worldwide. Renault Group and Geely each hold a 45% stake in HORSE Powertrain Limited, with Aramco holding a further 10%.

This latest investment follows a €16 million commitment made in November 2023 to produce the HR10 engine at Curitiba. By localising production of both HR10 and HR13 engines with domestically cast cylinder heads, HORSE aims to streamline its supply chain further.

HORSE continues to innovate by developing full-hybrid systems, plug-in hybrids, internal combustion powertrains, gearboxes, batteries, and other cutting-edge technologies tailored for sustainable mobility solutions.

The company believes there is no one-size-fits-all solution for sustainable mobility; hence it invests in various technologies supporting automotive industries' transition towards sustainability.

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