Key Safety Systems Celebrates 100 Years Of Pioneering Safety

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Oct. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Safety Systems (KSS), a global leader in mobility safety headquartered in Michigan, USA, announced today that 2016 marks its 100th anniversary of bringing breakthrough automotive safety technology to customers and consumers worldwide. The milestone will be celebrated throughout the year with a series of events under the "100 Years of Pioneering Safety" banner.

"KSS has a long history of innovation and industry leadership dating back to 1916, when our original founder produced handcrafted steering wheels for Ford Motor Company's Model T," said CEO Jason Luo. "KSS is still driven by the same pioneering spirit as our founders, and we honor their legacy today by supplying safety systems for more than 300 vehicle models made by the world's largest automakers. What began as a single factory line serving Detroit automakers has grown today to become a global company with 13,000 employees doing business in 14 countries on four continents."

Some notable milestones and innovations of Key Safety Systems and its predecessor companies over the last 100 years include:

• 1916 – Sheller Wood Rim Manufacturing Company founded in USA; begins by producing handcrafted steering wheels for Ford Motor Company's Model T
• Mid 1960s – Jim Robbins Seat Belt Company, American Safety and Kangol develops, patents and produces seat belts in the USA and Europe long before they become standard in passenger vehicles
• 1973 – Allied Chemical produces the first airbags installed on vehicles sold to the public
• 1988 – Breed Technologies, founded by auto safety pioneer Allen K. Breed, brings to market the first-of-its-kind electromechanical crash sensor, which soon became installed in more than half of the world's airbag-equipped vehicles
• 1990s – Acquires 11 automotive safety companies to expand technology portfolio and global footprint
• 2003 – Rebrands as Key Safety Systems
• 2011 – Produces the industry's first inflatable rear seatbelt, which is recognized by a prestigious Automotive News PACE Award
• 2015 – Enters the Active Safety market with innovative autonomous driving and event protection solutions
• 2016 – Becomes a portfolio company of Ningbo Joyson Electronics Corp, a global automotive supplier listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange; Key Safety Systems continues to operate as an independent business, with its own board of directors, management team and capital structure

Since establishing a strong and successful base in the USA, the company has expanded globally with 32 world-class facilities in 14 countries, including in Japan, where the company has been active for more than 20 years, in addition to Germany, UK, South Korea, India and China, among others. The scale of Key Safety Systems' customer base has grown commensurate to its global expansion, with more than 60 major automakers worldwide using Key Safety Systems products, including BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Isuzu, Suzuki and Volkswagen.

Today, the company is the fastest growing global supplier of passive safety systems, which include airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels. The company's passive safety business has maintained industry-leading growth of ~20% CAGR between 2010 and 2015. The company continues to invest in research and development of innovative active safety technologies, expanding its portfolio of ~900 diverse patents in automotive safety. Key Safety Systems also makes safety solutions for the aerospace, industrial and personal protection sectors.

"Our growth and longevity in this competitive and fast-evolving industry is a remarkable achievement," added Mr. Luo. "With our deep heritage, strong and experienced management team and global growth engine, we look forward to the next 100 years of innovation and serving our customers' evolving automotive safety needs."

About KSS   
Key Safety Systems (KSS) is a global leader in mobility safety through the system integration and performance of safety-critical components to the automotive and non-automotive markets serving the active safety, passive safety and specialty product sectors. Through highly specialized design, development, and manufacturing, KSS' technology is featured in more than 300 vehicle models produced by over 60 well-diversified customers worldwide. Since commencing business as a United States start-up, serving Detroit auto makers in 1916, KSS continues today with an entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit. KSS is headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with a global network of ~13,000 employees in 32 sales, engineering, and manufacturing facilities. The company has 5 main technical centers located in the key regions of the Americas, Europe and Asia. It is an independently-operated subsidiary of Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. (SHA: 600699) ("Joyson Electronics").

For further information about Key Safety Systems see: http://www.keysafetyinc.com

CONTACT: Jean-luc Blancou - KSS   
[email protected]

SOURCE Key Safety Systems

Related Links

http://www.keysafetyinc.com