Freudenberg-NOK Congratulates Chrysler and Honda on 2017 Vehicle Wins

The North American Car, Sport Utility Vehicle and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards – now in their 24th year – recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, comfort, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. The winning vehicles were judged and selected by a jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and websites.

Freudenberg-NOK, a global supplier of seals and gaskets for the automotive and other industries, provides the Pacifica and Ridgeline with gaskets; O-rings; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) slides; boots; and oil, valve stem, steering damper and water pump seals, among other components. The company, in fact, supplies components to the majority of vehicles that were designated as semi-finalists in the 2017 NACTOY competition including those produced by General Motors, Ford, Audi, Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Porsche, Jaguar, Kia, Nissan, Honda, Fiat-Chrysler and Volvo. 

“We congratulate the winners of this year’s NACTOY competition and are honored to play a role in their success,” said Matthew Portu, President, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies. “This year’s semi-finalists, finalists and winners were all stylish and well-engineered and represented a broad cross-section of vehicle classes and powertrain options. We are proud to support them.”

In an acknowledgment of the growing importance of alternative powertrains, the 2017 NACTOY award for Car of the Year was presented to General Motor’s Chevrolet Bolt EV electric vehicle. Freudenberg-NOK is engaged in the development of new materials and components that support the needs of the e-mobility sector, and supplies seals for lithium-ion batteries, electric drive motors, process control units and chargers to a variety of electric vehicle manufacturers including GM, Nissan, Ford and other high-end automotive manufacturers. 

Freudenberg-NOK has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy in 2015 to help establish a national network of electric vehicle charging locations by installing six plug-in stations at its headquarters in Plymouth, Mich. Its decision to help further the growth of alternative powertrain technologies coincides with its core business principles of sustainability, responsibility, leadership and a long-term orientation.

The global automotive industry is a primary market for Freudenberg-NOK, and the technologies and products that help its automotive customers navigate a changing landscape are core to its mission. The company is a leader in the research and development of materials that help meet today’s significant powertrain challenges – from wear and friction issues to better fuel economy, lower emissions and the use of alternate fuels.