Description of Gentherm Incorporated's Business Segments
Seat Comfort
Climate Control Seats
Our CCS products utilize exclusive patented technology to regulate temperature
and enhance the comfort of vehicle passengers. The most advanced CCS models
use one or more TEDs to generate heating or cooling depending upon the direction
of the current applied to the device.
A TED is the heart of a compact heat pump used in our active CCS products. Air
is forced through the heat pump and thermally conditioned in response to electronic
switch input from the seat occupant. The conditioned air circulates by one of
our specially designed air moving devices through a proprietary air distribution
system installed in the seat cushion and seat back, so that the seat surface
can be heated or cooled. Each seat has individual electronic controls to adjust
the level of heating or cooling. Active CCS products substantially improve comfort
compared with conventional air conditioners by focusing cooling directly on
the passenger through the seat rather than waiting until ambient air cools the
seat surface beneath the passenger. A heated and ventilated only variant of
the CCS utilizes ambient cabin air to provide cooling comfort instead of a TED
to actively cool the seat. In the heating mode, the vent only system is supplemented
with resistive heating elements.
Heated and ventilated CCS products have a lower price and have versatile cooling
capability targeted for certain lower cost vehicle models, geographical markets
and customers who prefer the heated and ventilated product. By offering different
models of the CCS product, our customers have the opportunity to purchase a
wider range of climate control products at different price points.
Since each vehicle model’s seats are different, we must tailor the CCS
components to match each seat design. Since we first developed the CCS in the
late 1990’s, we have supplied prototype seats containing our CCS product
to virtually every major automobile manufacturer and seat supplier. If a manufacturer
wishes to integrate our CCS product into a seat, it provides us with automotive
seats to be modified so that we can install a unit in a prototype. The seat
is then returned to the manufacturer for evaluation and testing. If a manufacturer
accepts our CCS product, a program can then be launched for a particular model
on a production basis, but it normally takes two to three years from the time
a manufacturer decides to include our CCS product in a vehicle model to actual
volume production for that vehicle. During this process, we derive funding from
prototype sales but obtain no significant revenue until mass production begins.
Heated Seats
Heated seats, based on our resistive heater core technology, are seamlessly
integrated into automotive seat designs, and are constructed using materials
that offer the best capacity, installation characteristics and durability. Our
capabilities allow customers to choose among a variety of resistive heater materials
based on their individual vehicle specifications. Sales of heated seat products
contributed 32%, 37% and 43% to our total product revenues for the twelve-month
period ending December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Our heated seat
revenue has grown in absolute dollars during each of the last three years but
is declining as a percent of our overall product revenue as more customers choose
to install CCS systems in their vehicles.
Battery Thermal Management (“BTM”)
Thermal management is critically important for the long-term operation of advanced
automotive batteries. The expansion of electrified vehicle applications, such
as 48V electrical networks, start-stop systems, regenerative braking systems
and other micro-hybrid battery implementations, have drastically increased the
demand for BTM systems solutions which enable wider operating temperature ranges,
enhanced driving range and prolonged life of the battery. Gentherm’s BTM
system can provide precision battery cooling on pack or cell-level using patented
TED technology. The BTM system maintains the temperature of the lithium-ion
battery or other advanced chemistry battery within an acceptable temperature
range without the use of chilled liquids or refrigerant loops, making it a light
weight, highly scalable, compact solution ideal for automotive applications.
Gentherm’s proprietary BTM system is compact and energy efficient, resulting
in a minimal energy budget for an electrified vehicle. The performance improvements
realized with this product have been validated through the award of production
BTM systems by two flagship OEMs. We are currently working with other OEMs in
an effort to secure more production contracts.
Remote Power Generation
Gentherm is the world’s leading provider of remote electric power generation
systems, primarily serving large upstream and midstream oil and gas markets.
Using our unique industrial TEG technologies, our generation systems deliver
ultra-reliable power for long-term unattended operation in geographically remote
applications that are critical to our customers’ operations, such as wellhead
automation, valve automation and cathodic protection of pipelines. We design
and produce turnkey systems that are highly customized for application, load,
power and fuel source, and location requirements. Other applications for our
remote power generation systems include mobile telecommunications, security
and surveillance and scientific monitoring. Revenues from the sale of remote
power generation systems are reported within the industrial segment. Our revenues
from this product include large custom systems projects ranging from $200,000
to over $2,000,000. While this revenue is generally growing, quarterly results
can vary significantly due to delivery timing of these custom systems to customers.
Thermal Convenience
Heated and Cooled Cup Holder
The heated and cooled cup holder applies Gentherm’s patented TED technologies
to keep beverages of automobile drivers and passengers either warm or cool.
We have developed a range of cup holder models with varying degrees of functionality,
designed to be packaged in multiple configurations to accommodate different
console environments. Our dual independent design provides separate temperature
settings in each holder allowing the driver and passenger to individually maintain
a heated or cooled beverage. Over the past year we have improved the technology
in this product resulting in reduced noise and power consumption and improved
heating and cooling. The heated and cooled cupholder will launch on several
new vehicle platforms during the next three years.
Thermal Storage Bin
Gentherm’s newest thermal convenience product is our thermal storage bin
designed for food or beverage cooling for the global automotive market. Using
patented TED and other key technologies, the thermal storage bin provides temperature
control independently from a vehicle’s heating and air conditioning system.
The thermal storage bin can be custom designed to accommodate tight interior
spaces and provide additional cooling capacity to those who have long work commutes
or transport multiple passengers. The thermal storage bin is available in the
front floor console of several large SUV vehicles produced by a major North
American Automotive manufacturer. We are currently working with other automotive
manufactures to develop and integrate thermal storage bins in their vehicles.
Interior Comfort
Heated Steering Wheel
Heated steering wheels deliver heating comfort to automobile drivers through
resistive wire elements, similar to those used in our seat heater products.
This product can be applied to both leather and wood steering wheels. A solution
for drivers in cold and mild weather climates, the heated steering wheel is
designed for the global automotive market.
Heated Door and Armrest
Gentherm’s thermally conductive door panel armrest and center console
armrest are powered by technologies used in our advanced seat heating products.
The system is thermally managed by a heating control system which can be discreetly
located in the door panel or seat of the vehicle. Heated door panels and armrests
are a perfect complement to our climate controlled seat and steering wheel products
and provide a superior level of thermal comfort to the driving experience.
Heated and Cooled Mattress
Our heated and cooled mattress incorporates our proprietary Climate Control
Sleep System™ (“CCSS”) technology. The CCSS represents an
adaptation of the TED technology in our active CCS system. The CCSS directs
warmed or cooled air to the surface of a mattress through our proprietary air
distribution system. Two independently controlled temperature zones have their
own heat or cool settings for a personalized microclimate sleep environment.
There are five available settings in each of the heat and cool modes as well
as an ambient setting. The sleep system uses a Master Control Unit or hand-held
remote controls.
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