June 26, 2013: RSB Transmissions has signed a technical know-how agreement with Fontaine Fifth Wheel of the UK to manufacture and sell RSB-Fontaine branded fifth wheel couplings in the domestic market and also exported to Fontaine, UK. Fontaine Fifth Wheel, which is the European division of Fontaine International Inc, the largest fifth wheel coupling manufacturer in the world, has a wide range of specialist fifth wheel and trailer coupling solutions.

A fifth wheel coupling provides a safe and secure link between the tractor and trailer. It consists of a coupling pin (or kingpin) on the front of the semi-trailer and a horseshoe-shaped coupling device called a fifth wheel on the rear of the towing vehicle.

S K Behera, vice-chairman and managing director, RSB Transmissions, signed the agreement with Royston Cooper, president and Ian Gough, vice-president, Fontaine Fifth Wheel. Following the signing, Behera said, “This technical know-how venture will boost market growth of fifth wheel couplings for RSB across India and overseas with the use of the latest state-of-art-technology from Fontaine.”

Expressing pleasure on the technical co-operation Royston Cooper said that Fontaine is delighted to work with RSB, which is a leading auto component manufacturer in India with a global presence in North America and Europe.

The RSB Group, which recorded a turnover of over Rs 1,200 crore last year, has 13 manufacturing plants spread over seven locations in India, namely Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Dharwad (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand), Cuttack (Orissa) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh); and one each in Homer (USA), Tessenderlo (Belgium) and Silao (Mexico).

Photograph: S K Behera, vice-chairman & MD, RSB Group (right) with Royston Cooper, president, Fontaine Fifth Wheel, UK.