Showa technical partner for BAR

The Showa Corporation has today become a Team Technical Partner of Lucky Strike B*A*R Honda. The company will supply suspension dampers to the team and feature on the livery of the new B*A*R Honda 007.

The company manufactures and markets high-precision components for motor vehicles including shock absorbers, steering systems and drive train products for automobiles and motorcycles, as well as components for outboard marine engines. Showa Corporation is one of the leading manufacturers of shock absorbers for automobiles and motorcycles in the world today.

Established in 1938 and headquartered in Saitama, Japan, Showa operates five manufacturing plants and three research and development facilities within Japan. The company's global business operation, a network of 30 manufacturing facilities, spreads over 15 nations including Japan.

Masahide Matsushima, President of Showa Corporation said, "Showa Corporation's business activities revolve around customer satisfaction. Furthermore, we strive to maintain our forward-looking stance and continue to encourage technological, operational and administrative innovation. Showa has participated in numerous motorsport races in the past, moreover, we believe our participation in Formula One racing will bring about increases in Showa's brand value and cultivate challenging spirits through vigorous activities to accomplish set goals under intense environment of Formula One."

Geoffrey Willis, B*A*R Honda Technical Director, added, "Our new technical partnership with Showa Corporation allows us to jointly develop new damper solutions specifically for B*A*R Honda. This will enable us to realise innovative design concepts that we have developed for this year's car and the new car for 2006, which is already in its preliminary design stage."

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