Meritor Announces Blue Horizon Advanced Technology Brand

TROY, Mich., May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Meritor, Inc. (NYSE: MTOR) today announced Blue Horizon, a new technology brand representing the company's emerging platform of advanced technologies centered on electric drivetrain, efficiency and connectivity systems.

Products offered under the new brand will include integrated electrified solutions for Class 4-8 commercial vehicles across multiple vocations, including pickup and delivery, drayage/terminal tractors, transit and school buses, as well as linehaul and other heavy-duty applications. 

"Blue Horizon signifies our commitment to evolutionary and revolutionary solutions for commercial transportation," said Jay Craig, CEO and president of Meritor. "With this new brand, we're looking forward to the future of electrified drivetrains and to more innovations in the years ahead."

Initially, Blue Horizon electric drivetrain systems will feature Meritor's integrated eCarrier that utilizes an electric motor inside the axle to power the vehicle, replacing a conventional mechanical engine with an electric motor integrated into the rear drive axle.

The eCarrier's power-dense design reduces cost and weight by eliminating the driveline and related drivetrain mounting components to free up space for batteries inside the frame rails for enhanced safety. The eCarrier design is flexible for use with rigid and independent suspension axle platforms in single and tandem configurations. Two-speed gearing works with a smaller, lighter-weight motor to deliver heavier load capability and operate in the motor's sweet spot for maximum efficiency.

Meritor's eCarrier will launch with the eAxle and eSuspension platforms to deliver power ranges of 150, 180 and 200 kW in each axle and peak power of 250 kW. Rounding out the electric axle lineup is an eCorner module for medium-duty, pickup and delivery, and bus applications. Demonstrator vehicle testing is scheduled for this summer.

Meritor's consolidation of advanced solutions under a single brand reflects more than 20 years of technology leadership focused on delivering high-tech drivetrain solutions for our global customers.

"Blue Horizon represents a future that's electric today and even more tomorrow," Craig said. "These new solutions will have the potential to transform the industry while also enhancing Meritor's value to OEMs and our standing as a leader in innovation and manufacturing."

About Meritor

Meritor, Inc. is a leading global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets. With more than a 100-year legacy of providing innovative products that offer superior performance, efficiency and reliability, the company serves commercial truck, trailer, off-highway, defense, specialty and aftermarket customers around the world. Meritor is based in Troy, Mich., United States, and is made up of approximately 8,200 diverse employees who apply their knowledge and skills in manufacturing facilities, engineering centers, joint ventures, distribution centers and global offices in 19 countries. Meritor common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MTOR. For important information, visit the company's website at www.meritor.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This presentation contains statements relating to future results of the company (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "are likely to be," "will" and similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to reliance on major OEM customers and possible negative outcomes from contract negotiations with our major customers, including failure to negotiate acceptable terms in contract renewal negotiations and our ability to obtain new customers; the outcome of actual and potential product liability, warranty and recall claims; our ability to successfully manage rapidly changing volumes in the commercial truck markets and work with our customers to manage demand expectations in view of rapid changes in production levels; global economic and market cycles and conditions; availability and sharply rising costs of raw materials, including steel, and our ability to manage or recover such costs; our ability to manage possible adverse effects on our European operations, or financing arrangements related thereto following the United Kingdom's decision to exit the European Union or, in the event one or more other countries exit the European monetary union; risks inherent in operating abroad (including foreign currency exchange rates, restrictive government actions regarding trade, implications of foreign regulations relating to pensions and potential disruption of production and supply due to terrorist attacks or acts of aggression); risks related to our joint ventures; rising costs of pension benefits; the ability to achieve the expected benefits of strategic initiatives and restructuring actions; our ability to successfully integrate the products and technologies of Fabco Holdings, Inc. and AA Gear Mfg., Inc. and future results of such acquisitions, including their generation of revenue and their being accretive; the demand for commercial and specialty vehicles for which we supply products; whether our liquidity will be affected by declining vehicle productions in the future; OEM program delays; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development and launch of new products; labor relations of our company, our suppliers and customers, including potential disruptions in supply of parts to our facilities or demand for our products due to work stoppages; the financial condition of our suppliers and customers, including potential bankruptcies; possible adverse effects of any future suspension of normal trade credit terms by our suppliers; potential impairment of long-lived assets, including goodwill; potential adjustment of the value of deferred tax assets; competitive product and pricing pressures; the amount of our debt; our ability to continue to comply with covenants in our financing agreements; our ability to access capital markets; credit ratings of our debt; the outcome of existing and any future legal proceedings, including any litigation with respect to environmental, asbestos-related, or other matters; the actual impacts of our modifications to benefits provided to certain former union employee retirees on the company's balance sheet, earnings and amount of cash payments; possible changes in accounting rules; ineffective internal controls; and other substantial costs, risks and uncertainties, including but not limited  to those detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017, as amended  and  from time to time in other filings of the company with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

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SOURCE Meritor, Inc.