Mr. Ryosuke Takahashi, General Manager, Motorcycle & Power Product Purchasing Planning Office for Honda, (left) presents Honda Supplier Development Award to Walbro Japan officials Harunori Seki, President, (center) and Mr. Yukio Goto, Vice President, Operations – Lawn & Garden (right).
Tucson, AZ – Walbro Japan Ltd., a subsidiary of Walbro Engine Management, received Honda’s coveted Supplier Development Award at ceremonies at Walbro’s Tokyo office on February 6, 2009. Walbro was one of only ten companies to receive the award this year.
Walbro received the award for an innovative gas regulator and mixer designed for small displacement butane and propane-powered devices. Honda will initially use the Walbro regulator and mixer on a 50 cc cultivator powered by a butane gas cartridge. The cultivator was developed for home vegetable gardening, a growing market in Japan.
The Walbro gas regulator/mixer is a compact, lightweight unit designed for small displacement applications, and is significantly smaller than competitive products. As a consumer product, the Honda cultivator is designed for easy operation, and safety is a primary requirement. The Walbro unit meets these needs and incorporates an innovative, pressure-sensitive, safety shut-off valve.
Honda’s stated policies include efforts to develop environment-friendly products. This includes the development of products where gaseous fuel such as propane, butane and liquefied natural gas is used as an alternative energy source. Theses gaseous fuels produce lower carbon monoxide (CO) emissions than gasoline, and are growing in use on a variety of products throughout the world. Walbro has offered products for use with gaseous fuels for more than a decade.
“The award-winning regulator and mixer embody Walbro’s innovative spirit and demonstrate how Walbro works to satisfy customer needs,” Tony Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walbro Engine Management said.
“In addition, these products are consistent with the desire of both Honda and Walbro to meet the environmental challenges facing the small engine industry,” Martin said. “The gas regulator and mixer are part of a wide range of Walbro products designed to meet the global small engine emissions challenge. These include electronic engine management systems, low-evaporative fuel tanks, fuel lines, connectors, hybrid carburetors and other products designed to control emissions.”
Walbro Engine Management is a global market leader of engine management systems for the lawn and garden, recreational and marine, outdoor power equipment, and two-wheel small engine markets. Walbro Engine Management manufactures ignition systems, fuel injection, air/fuel management systems and fuel storage and distribution systems. Walbro Engine Management is a global organization with manufacturing and engineering facilities in China, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Thailand and the United States, with headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. Additional information regarding Walbro Engine Management is available at www.walbro.com/.
For more information, please contact:
Ann M. Guernsey
Walbro Engine Management
(520) 877-3000
