Öhlins Advanced Suspension Technology

Introduction

Öhlins Racing has been an integrated part of the motorsport industry as well as the motorcycle and automotive industry for 40 years. Their focus has always been on high-quality products, service and support, all the way from the MotoGP circuits to the local national racing events in over 50 distributing countries.

Öhlins’ philosophy has always been to supply the aftermarket, OEM partners and teams with high-end suspension technology and we are all dedicated to exceeding our customer’s expectations throughout the world.

The Öhlins way

The passion for innovations and state-of-the-art technology motivates them to search for the next generation of advanced suspension technology.
Their dedicated and professional staff cooperates with some of the most prestigious manufacturers and teams in the world to find the optimal suspension performance and in the end this knowledge finds its way to the aftermarket and OEM shock absorbers, front forks and steering dampers on the street.

Their aftermarket customers ride on factory racing technology with just small or even no modifications. The goal is to offer the same level of service and support throughout the organization, no matter if it is a racing team or a passionate enthusiast rider or driver in search of a better functioning suspension unit on his bike or car.

To be a respected and preferred brand in the high-end segment within their business areas is a motto and every employee strives to make this come true.
To be in the fore front of advanced suspension technology makes us work even harder to find the next chapter of suspension technology.

Öhlins Racing is just about to turn the page yet again and it is time to Make the world go electronic on suspension.

Up to date highlights

• 280 employees
• Privately owned by founder Kenth Öhlin
• Head Quarter in Stockholm (10.000 sqm)
• Subsidiary in USA – Öhlins USA, Hendersonville NC
• Subsidiary in Germany – ÖDTC, Nürburgring
• Subsidiary in Thailand – Öhlins Asia Co,. Ltd
• Subsidiaries in Sweden – CES Technologies in Jönköping & Öhlins Auto Norden in Karlstad
• 130.000 units produced annually
• 97 % of all sales on export
• Annual Turnover around 70 MEUR (€)
• Annual Growth around 10% last 10 years
• Focus on R&D, A/M, OEM and Racing of Advanced Suspension Technology for Motorcycles, Cars, Snowmobiles, Mountainbikes & ATV’s

Facilities

Head quarter – Upplands Väsby – Sweden

The Öhlins HQ is the very heart of our operations. Everything once started here back in 1976 when the founder Kenth Öhlin started his business in his fathers’ engineering workshop a bit further down the road.
All products are being engineered and assembled in the facilities just north of Sweden’s capitol – Stockholm.

Öhlins Distribution & Technical Centre Nürburgring – Germany

Their central European subsidiary enables them to make faster and more accurate deliveries to supply their customers in the region.

Apart from a more sophisticated delivery service program, Öhlins Distribution & Technical Centre can offer a complete package with the famous Nürburgring race track located close to their facilities.

Öhlins USA Inc. – North Carolina – USA

To be able to serve the U.S. market, Öhlins Racing has expanded its presence by setting up a subsidiary business in the heart of the racing state North Carolina – USA.
The strategic position goes hand in hand with our 7 post shake rig which is one of the most advanced testing platforms on the US continent today.

Öhlins Auto Norden – Karlstad – Sweden

Öhlins Auto Norden is the distributor of Öhlins Automotive products in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Located in Karlstad – Sweden – the facilities offer a complete range of automotive products and service.

Öhlins Jönköping – CES Technologies – Sweden

The home of the CES technology is located in Jönköping – Sweden. At their modern facilities engineers are in search of the next generation of electronically controlled suspension with great success.

Öhlins Asia – Thailand

Öhlins Asia is the distributor of Öhlins products in Thailand. The factory produces Öhlins products for the growing Southeast Asian markets.

Our business areas

Aftermarket

• 60 % Aftermarket sales volumes of total sales
• Their product range is sold through the distributor network which encompasses the entire globe, more than 50 countries in total
• Their local, national distributors take part in almost all national championship series as a natural part of the role as an Öhlins representative – Service & Support are key stones in their quest to offer the most advanced and professional product range in the world.

OEM

• 40 % OEM sales volumes of total sales
• Collaborations with some of the largest manufacturers on a worldwide scale such as Yamaha, Ducati, BMW and Kawasaki
• Collaborations with respected race car manufacturers all over the world
• The OEM cooperation’s gives Öhlins the possibility to trim costs, sharpen the work flow efficiency and maximize the overall quality of the end products
• The close relationship with the vehicle industry allows Öhlins to take part in the technical evolution – giving Öhlins a superior advantage compared to many of our competitors on the market.

Racing Service & support

• a self financed business area which also works as R&D unit for future Aftermarket and OEM products
• more than 30 employees dedicated to High end racing support & service
• high profile customers in all business areas such as:
  • Motorcycle (Roadracing): MotoGP, World Superbike, AMA
  • Motorcycle (Motocross): MX1, MX2
  • Automotive: DTM, NASCAR, LeMans Series, Group N Rally Series, Rallycross European Championship, Off-Road Racing
  • ATV: GNCC, ITP Quad Cross, Worcs Series, European Championship, British Championship, Swedish Championships
• Their dedication and passion for high end racing will find its way back to the aftermarket products – giving the rider on the street the chance of buying the most advanced suspension technology on the market.

CES

Öhlins Racing’s CES system (Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension) integrates the latest technology in hydraulics and electronics into a highly advanced adaptive suspension unit that monitors all four wheels on a car. Based on the quality of the road and the preferred setting by the rider all four wheels are controlled individually to maintain the optimal suspension setup.

Use of the CES valve in a shock absorber removes most of the compromise between ride and handling found in conventional shocks. It enables the suspension to provide sportscar characteristics in cornering and lane changes while giving the ride of a limousine during cruising.

Öhlins has been active in semi-active suspension development since the late eighties. They have built in-depth knowledge about the valves, shocks, sensors, ECUs and software required to make semi-active suspension work. With their knowledge they can not only supply the valves but also the support required to build a full system.

Today the CES technology is used by several car manufacturers such as BMW, Daimler, VW, and Volvo.

For more information on CES, please, visit ohlins.com.

The production philosophy

• All products are assembled by dedicated specialists with a passion for perfection.
• Depending on the volume of deviations in the past and supplier history a number of every batch of components is checked at random in the receiving inspection. This way it can minimize the volume of deviating components in the production line.
• All assembled products undergo numerous tests to ensure optimal functionality and quality.
• Öhlins firmly believes that their production facility in Sweden gives them a competitive edge – they can control the entire flow all the way from the drawing board to the assembled unit in the cardboard box just before shipment.

Suppliers

• Almost 200 specialized suppliers are working with Öhlins on a yearly basis to craft the optimal suspension components.
• 80 % are Swedish suppliers
• 20 % From other European and Asian countries
• Just about 10 000 active part numbers in the systems
• Every year approximately 1200 new part numbers are added.
• Öhlins is known to be one of the most demanding customers and take great interest in their suppliers – visiting them on a regular basis to trim their production lines to ensure superior quality components.
• They think of the suppliers as a part of their family and we take great pride in long term relationships that ultimately brings the industry closer.
• They are on a never ending quest to find perfection in every detail

The Öhlins product range

The Unique, complete, package

Öhlins can offer suspension technology to a wide range of vehicles such as:

• Motorcycles
• Cars
• ATVs
• Snowmobiles
• Mountain bike
• Other business areas

Öhlins also make suspension solutions to customers in search of perfection which has led us into a wide range of industry sectors such as the naval, forest, aero and defense industry.