Vari-Form Announces Joint Venture Agreement with Italy Automotive Supplier EMARC SpA

TROY, Mich., Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Vari-Form today announced the signing of a joint venture agreement with EMARC SpA of Piemonte, Italy. The new agreement increases manufacturing footprints for Vari-Form in Europe and EMARC in North America. Going forward, both companies will offer locally-available advanced technologies – hydroforming, roll forming and aluminum stretch bending – for the benefit of automotive OE manufacturers and Tier suppliers worldwide. By creating infrastructure for making parts, this increased manufacturing footprint is a timely response to recent business development successes of Vari-Form.

Vari-Form, the North American participant, will establish a manufacturing presence in Europe, focusing on growing hydroforming business. EMARC, the Italian participant, will locate a manufacturing operation in North America, expanding roll forming and stretch bending business there for steel and aluminum components.

The joint venture will also bring new lightweighting technologies to Europe and North America, offering proven solutions for reducing vehicle weight while maintaining superior structural performance. Both companies manufacture parts with the gauge, form and strength needed to produce vehicles that deliver increased fuel efficiency.

Vari-Form is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, and originated the concept and application of hydroforming body, chassis and other automotive structural parts. Among its many industry-leading accomplishments, the company produces frame rails for the 2014 Corvette Stingray, helping deliver classic Corvette handling and improved mileage from this American icon.

EMARC SpA, headquartered at Vinovo, in the Torino area of Italy, produces steel roll formed structure parts and aluminium and steel stretch-bent components and assemblies for the automotive and commercial vehicle industries. The company has thirteen production facilities, located throughout Europe, Asia and South America.

The president of Vari-Form, Stephen Dow, predicted great things ahead for the joint venture: "The inherent advantages of the Vari-Form hydroforming and EMARC processes can now deliver significant benefits to car makers. Each company will offer technologies within easy reach of automotive OEMs, delivering superior products to customers on these two continents."

Pietro Passone, founder and chairman of EMARC Group, stated, "This agreement represents an essential step forward in the growth plans of both companies. Global vehicle manufacturers can benefit from the technologies we offer. Experience has shown that, once our products and processes are integrated into the manufacturing plans of car makers, everyone realizes a significant financial advantage."

About Vari-Form
Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, with production facilities in Strathroy, Ontario, Canada, Reynosa, Mexico, and Liberty, Missouri, Vari-Form originated the concept and application of hydroforming body, chassis and other automotive structural parts. Vari-Form's technology is used to manufacture more than 7 million parts a year worldwide. The company began volume production using its patented, production-validated Pressure-Sequence Hydroforming (PSH) process in 1990. Vari-Form is the industry leader and has produced more than 100 million parts to date. For more information, go to www.vari-form.com.

About EMARC SpA
Founded in 1978, EMARC SpA offers steel and aluminium roll-formed systems and components for the automotive and commercial vehicles industries, including doors, automatic door systems, structural modules and body structure parts. The company currently employs over 700 people and has thirteen production facilities in Italy, France, Turkey, South America, China, India and Eastern Europe. For more information, go to www.emarc.it.

SOURCE Vari-Form