100 years. If you take a moment to contemplate how long that really is and how much has changed in the past century, perhaps you’ll be able to acknowledge just how impressive it is for a business to endure for so long. Such durability requires so many understated attributes; innovation, resilience, flexibility, and application, to name a few.
2022 has seen us proudly commemorate our 100-year anniversary. We will celebrate by holding a series of commemorative events across our locations around the world and publishing a limited edition centennial book that takes a deeper dive into our illustrious history.
We’ve experienced our fair share of industry challenges since we were founded as the Harry Bundy Company some 100 years ago, but the aforementioned attributes have stood us in good stead on our journey. From Harry Bundy himself to our current President and CEO, Hans Dieltjens, we’ve been extremely fortunate throughout this journey to have consistently had a team that embodies these values, which today are reflected in all we do.
In the past 100 years, we have been faced with and shaped by five automotive megatrends, all of which have brought with them significant upheaval to the sector and have required an innovative response. The first of these was fuel, second hydraulic braking, third air conditioning, and then emissions reduction. The TI team of today are currently dealing with the fifth and most recent development, the electrification of the vehicle powertrain, and are tackling this with great success. Our Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer, Dom Milicia, noted that: “Electrification is a disruptive change in the automotive industry and will reward companies with an innovative attitude. As leaders in automotive fluid handling, it is a huge opportunity for TI Fluid Systems to adapt our technologies to rise to the challenge.”
Our strategy to maximise this opportunity is called Take the Turn. Under this strategy, we are already enhancing our capacity and capabilities to meet the changing demands of customers all over the world. Take the Turn is made up of three elements: Technology – our focus on vehicle electrification; Transformation – our commitment to a more sustainable business; and Talent – our investment in people and learning.
Over the last 100 years, we’ve endeavoured to build close relationships with our customers, and, as Hans Dieltjens acknowledges, it is these relationships that will see us move forward into the electrified age. “Building strong relationships with our customers is something that we have never compromised on in our 100 years of trading, and this will continue as we enter the next phase of our development as a company.”
Ultimately, the last 100 years have been about building towards the future. While it’s an honour to celebrate a century in business, our thoughts are immediately on gearing up for what comes next. As the curtain comes down on this centenary anniversary, we vow to build on the last 100 years in the next 100 years.