Business as usual

Torotrak has assured shareholders that its trading is in line with market expectations so far this year, despite difficult conditions in US consumer markets. The company is now looking to increase business with a number of development projects.

Torotrak is pursuing prospects in the outdoor power equipment, off-highway, truck, bus and automotive markets after gaining 'significant' agreements and contracts in those sectors in the last financial year.

One successful undertaking for the company has been Infinitrak, its joint venture company with MTD, an American manufacturer of outdoor power equipment.

Infinitrak has started production and sales of Twin Toroidal Transmissions (TTTs), with transmissions now installed in approximately 100 MTD vehicles. These vehicles are now being sold through MTD’s selected dealers in the US.

More than 300 transmissions have also been built for Infinitrak’s new third party UK customer, Advanced Turf Technology (ATT), which plans to install the transmissions in a line of professional mowers.

Torotrak will supply further transmissions to MTD later this year, but order volumes will depend upon MTD’s market forecasts and requirements. The company hopes to develop TTTs for further MTD products and selected models in 2009.

Infinitrak plans to achieve a robust and high-quality market introduction this year with initial volumes at a modest level leading to a significant increase thereafter. The company is also developing a second, lower cost transmission.

Other development projects for the company include a new UK energy conservation project, involving Jaguar, Flybrid, Xtrac, Ford, Prodrive and Ricardo, to develop a flywheel hybrid solution in the automotive sector.