Sunnen Forms Joint Venture with Hontech

The U.S.-based honing systems manufacturer and its long-time Brazilian distributor join forces to create Sunnen do Brasil, a local manufacturing company that will improve customer service, while reducing lead times and costs.

Sunnen Products Company (St. Louis, MO) will add to its base of eight global operations with the formation of a new joint venture with its long-time Brazilian distributor, Hontech Ltda. The new company, Sunnen do Brasil, will be located in Sao Bernardo do Campo SP, Brazil, and led by Hontech president João Bahia. Hontech has been the exclusive Brazilian distributor of Sunnen honing systems and tooling for nearly 20 years. The new company will manufacture abrasives locally and serve Sunnen’s extensive Brazilian customer base.

“This joint venture makes an important statement about our commitment to the significant number of customers we already have in Brazil, as well as those customers we hope to acquire,” said Mike Haughey, the chief operating officer of Sunnen. “This new operation will enhance our competitiveness in the region and reduce lead times on key products. Brazil has been, and will continue to be, one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Sunnen do Brasil will allow us to participate more fully in that growth.”

Hontech was formed in 1993 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, and currently has 30 employees and seven sales representatives serving Brazil’s job shops and high-production manufacturing market that includes Stihl, Eaton, Mahle, Volkswagen, General Motors, Fiat and Bosch.

Sunnen Products Company is the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of honing systems for precision bore sizing and finishing. Core technical competencies include automated and manual bore machining systems, custom system development and integration, abrasives, tooling, lubricants, and gaging.

Sunnen has the largest sales and technical service network of any company in its industry to ensure full global support for its multinational customer base. The company employs more than 600 people worldwide, with offices, manufacturing and tech support facilities throughout Europe, China, the U.K. and U.S. www.sunnen.com, sales@sunnen.com