Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
Our Company
Garrett is a cutting-edge technology leader delivering differentiated solutions for emission reduction and energy efficiency. We design, manufacture and sell highly engineered turbocharging, air and fluid compression, and high-speed electric motor technologies for original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") and distributors within the mobility and industrial space.
We have significant expertise in delivering products at scale for internal combustion engines ("ICE") using gasoline, diesel, natural gas and hydrogen, as well as for zero emission technologies using hydrogen fuel cell systems, both for mobility and industrial use. As our customers continue to progress on electrification, we are applying our technological pillars to develop highly engineered E-Powertrain and E-Cooling compressor products to support their ambition. These products are key enablers for fuel economy, energy efficiency, thermal management, and compliance with emissions standards and overall greenhouse gas and other emission reduction targets.
Our growth strategy in zero emission technologies is to focus on solving OEMs' pain points with existing technologies and bring differentiated technologies for traction (E-Powertrain) and thermal management (E-Cooling compressor), leveraging a unique set of technology pillars that are hard to replicate by competitors like high-speed motors and power electronics, controls software, oil-less bearings and system integration. These technology pillars have been developed by Garrett over the past decade and require significant and sustained research and development ("R&D") investments, resulting in the successful launch of E-Boosting and fuel cell compressor applications. They bring unique features to our offerings in terms of energy efficiency, lower weight and packaging requirements that are highly valued by our customers.
Our Industry
Overview
We provide cutting-edge technology for the mobility and industrial space, including light vehicles, commercial vehicles and industrial applications. Our products include mechanical and electrical products for turbocharging and boosting internal combustion engines, as well as compressing air for fuel cell compressors, and compressing refrigerant for electric cooling compressors.
As of 2023, our primary source of sales is associated with the global turbocharger industry for gasoline, diesel and natural gas engines across light vehicle, commercial vehicle and industrial applications. Sales also come from E-Boosting solutions and hydrogen fuel cell compression solutions, already manufactured at scale.
At the same time, we have developed unique technological competencies, which we aim to continue leveraging to solve our customers’ energy related challenges in the electrification evolution related to hybrids and electric powertrains. We are developing solutions and increasing our research and development (“R&D”) spend, focusing more than 50% of total R&D expenditure in 2024 on technologies for electrification including zero emission technologies, fuel cell compressors for a broad range of cell stack power (40kW to 250kW) and high value electric vehicle components including E-Powertrain and E-Cooling Compressor technologies.
Key trends affecting our industry
Current global economic conditions due to geopolitical conflicts, high inflation in Europe and China's slow pace of recovery, all have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect many industries including the automotive sector.
Growth in overall vehicle production
Light vehicle production increased 9% in 2023, compared to prior year. Commercial vehicle production remained steady in 2023 while the on-highway segment increased 12%, and the off-highway sector decreased by 7%. For 2024, S&P and KGP expect an overall drop of approximately 1% in the automotive (light vehicle and commercial vehicle) industry. Moreover, significant uncertainty remains on global economic growth, with some supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and China facing low inflation and job market deterioration. The shift from pure gasoline and diesel ICE to hybridized powertrains is expected to continue in response to increasingly strict fuel efficiency and regulatory standards. In
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parallel, the share of pure electric vehicles is expected to continue to increase, with short-term dynamics such as China's economic slow down, significant vehicle price gaps between gasoline and ICE-powered vehicles, and slower than planned charging infrastructure, limiting the pace of adoption.
Global vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions standards
OEMs are facing increasingly strict constraints for vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions standards globally. Regulatory authorities in key regions such as the United States, the European Union, China, Japan, and Korea have instituted regulations that require sustained and significant reductions in greenhouse gas (including CO2 and NOx) and particulate matter vehicle emissions. OEMs are required to evaluate and adopt various solutions to address these stricter standards. Turbochargers allow OEMs to reduce engine size without sacrificing vehicle performance, thereby increasing fuel efficiency and decreasing harmful emissions. Furthermore, turbochargers allow more precise “air control” over both engine intake and exhaust conditions such as gas pressures, flows and temperatures, enabling optimization of the combustion process. This combustion optimization is critical to engine efficiency, exhaust emissions, power and transient response and enables such concepts as exhaust gas recirculation for diesel engines and Miller-cycle operation for gasoline engines. Consequently, we believe turbocharging will continue to be a key technology for automakers to meet future tough fuel economy and emissions standards without sacrificing performance.
Turbocharger penetration
The utilization of turbochargers and electric-boosting technologies on vehicle powertrain systems is one of the most cost-effective solutions to address stricter standards, and OEMs are increasing their adoption of these technologies. Total turbocharger production increased globally from approximately 46 million units in 2022 to 50 million units in 2023 and is expected to decrease from 2024 onward based on current expectations of electric vehicle penetration, gradually decreasing to 2022 volume levels by 2026. S&P forecasts turbocharger penetration on ICE-based powertrains to grow in light vehicles from 52% in 2021 to approximately 57% in 2025 and to then come back to approximately 51% in 2030.
Medium-Term Powertrain Trends
Note: Years 2021 - 2023 represent actual data and years 2024 - 2028 represent forecasted data.
Source: S&P, KGP
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Electrification and hybrids
In order to address stricter fuel economy standards, OEMs also have been increasing the electrification of their vehicle offerings, primarily with the addition of hybrid powertrains equipped with a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine in combination with an electric motor. S&P estimates that hybrid vehicles produced globally will grow from a total of approximately 17 million vehicles in 2023 to 27 million vehicles by 2027, representing a CAGR of 12%. The electrified powertrain of hybrid vehicles enables the usage of highly synergistic electric-boosting technologies which augment standard turbochargers with electrically assisted boosting and electrical-generation capability. Furthermore, the application of electric boosting extends the requirement for engineering collaboration with OEMs to include electrical integration, software controls, and advanced sensing. Overall, the move to electric boosting further increases the role and value of turbocharging by improving vehicle fuel economy and reducing exhaust emissions.
Battery electric and fuel cell technologies
OEMs are investing in full battery electric vehicles ("BEV"s) to comply with increasingly tight regulatory targets across regions. S&P and KGP expect that BEVs will compose 26% of total light and commercial vehicle production globally by 2026. Consumer adoption hinges on future "cost of range", tightly linked to the energy capacity of the battery, but also how well that energy is used. Energy efficiency increases (including how to best address thermal management challenges), battery price (and consequently vehicle price), weight reduction through increases in power density, and shorter recharging times are all critical problems to solve. As OEMs strive to solve these issues, they are increasing investment in hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vehicles for demanding applications requiring long range, especially in the commercial vehicle space. These vehicles, like battery electric vehicles, have fully electric motor powertrains, but they rely on the hydrogen fuel cell to generate the required electricity. The hydrogen fuel cell also requires advanced electric-boosting technology to run efficiently and optimize range and cost of ownership. We are investing to address selected opportunities, raised by the electrification trend, where our differentiated technology can bring benefits related to lighter, more compact and more energy efficient components for electric vehicles.
Our Products
We are a global leader in the $11 billion OEM turbocharger industry. We believe we will continue to benefit from global technology leadership in the turbocharger industry through our deep-seated relationships with all global OEMs. Continuous product innovation to bring innovative and differentiated technologies for electric vehicles (E-Powertrain and E-Cooling compressors), fuel cell compressors and solutions beyond automotive are the new challenges we are embracing and pursuing.
Internal combustion light vehicle products
• Gasoline: The global adoption of turbochargers by OEMs on gasoline engines has increased rapidly from approximately 14% in 2013 to approximately 48% in 2023 and is forecasted by S&P to increase to 51% by 2025. In addition to the volume growth, tightening of CO2 regulations is driving a technology shift, moving away from standard waste gate technology to variable geometry turbo ("VNT") which is a premium technology that offers us technological competitive advantages. In 2016, we launched our first high volume VNT gasoline application, and this technology is expected to experience increased adoption in years to come. According to a forecast by S&P, VNT represented 24% of global turbo gasoline production in 2023, reaching 36% by 2028. A key to our strategy for gasoline growth is thus to leverage our technological leadership in high-temperature materials and variable geometry, as well as our scale, global footprint and in-market capabilities to meet the volume of technological demands of global OEMs.
• Diesel: We have a long history of technology leadership in diesel engine turbochargers. Despite the diesel industry's weakness for some vehicle segments, the majority of our diesel turbocharger revenues come from heavier and bigger vehicles like SUVs, pickup trucks and light commercial vehicles (such as delivery vans), which remain a stable part of the diesel industry. Diesel maintains a unique advantage in terms of fuel consumption, cost of ownership, and towing capacity which makes it the powertrain of choice for heavier vehicle applications. Diesel also remains essential for OEMs to meet their CO2 fleet average regulatory target going forward, as diesel vehicles produce less CO2 on average than gasoline vehicles.
• Hybrid vehicles: We provide a comprehensive portfolio of turbocharger and electric-boosting technologies to manufacturers of hybrid-electric powertrains. OEMs have increased their adoption of hybrid technologies given regulatory standards. Similar to turbochargers for gasoline and diesel engines, turbochargers for hybrid vehicles are an essential component of maximizing fuel efficiency and overall engine performance. Our products provide
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OEMs with solutions that further optimize engine performance and position us well as they add more hybrid-electric vehicles into their fleets.
Internal combustion commercial vehicles & industrial products
Our Company traces its roots to the 1950s when we helped develop a turbocharged commercial vehicle for Caterpillar. We have maintained our strategic relationship with key commercial vehicle OEMs for over 60 years as well as industry-leading positions for both on- and off-highway use. Our products improve engine performance and enable lower emissions on trucks, buses, agriculture equipment, construction equipment and mining equipment with engine sizes ranging 1.8L to 105L. We continue to develop our product range to serve more engine needs, even beyond automotive (e.g. our new GT80 product presented in 2023, our biggest turbocharger to date).
Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles & industrial products
We provide a comprehensive range of electric air compressors to manufacturers of fuel cell systems. Our system consists of efficient, powerful, and lightweight air compressors using leading automotive technologies to boost fuel cell vehicles. Air supply is critical for performance, durability and H2 fuel consumption / range for applications equipped with H2 fuel cells. We launched the auto industry's first fuel cell production car application in 2016. We now provide a comprehensive portfolio of fuel cell air compressors covering a broad range of fuel cell stack power from 40kW to 250+kW and we will launch our third generation of fuel cell products in 2024.
Electric (battery electric and H2 fuel cell electric) vehicles & industrial products
Leveraging a set of unique technological building blocks, we are now offering to our customers disruptive solutions for electric traction (E-Powertrain) and electric thermal management (E-Cooling compressor) that can enhance an application’s energy efficiency in a reduced packaging space and with significant weight savings. Our customers have taken note of these products, and we are engaged in a number of pre-development programs with OEMs in all regions.
Aftermarket and performance products
Our Garrett aftermarket brand has strong recognition across distributors and garages globally, and is known for boosting performance, quality and reliability. We operate through a distribution network of more than 300 distributors covering 165 countries. Our aftermarket business has historically provided a stable stream of revenue supported by our large installer base, currently estimated at over 130 million vehicles. As turbocharger penetration rates continue to increase, we expect that our installer base and aftermarket opportunities will continue to grow. We are also working to enhance our sales channels with the introduction of Garrett Marketplace, an e-commerce platform connecting Garrett's major performance distributors with turbocharger enthusiasts, racing professionals and automotive hobbyists, allowing them to access Garrett performance and racing products faster and more conveniently.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe that we differentiate ourselves through the following competitive strengths:
• Differentiated and innovative technology in, and beyond, mobility
• Strong and collaborative relationships with leading OEMs globally
• Global and low-cost manufacturing footprint with operational excellence
Differentiated and innovative technology in, and beyond, mobility
We have led the revolution in turbocharging technology over the last 60 years and maintain a leading technology portfolio of approximately 1,300 patents and patents pending. We have a globally deployed team of approximately 1,300 engineers across five R&D centers and 11 close-to-customer engineering centers. Our engineers have led the mainstream commercialization of several leading turbocharger innovations, including variable geometry turbines, dual-boost compressors, ball-bearing rotors, electrically actuated controls, and air-bearing electric compressors for hydrogen fuel cells. We maintain a culture of continuous product innovation, introducing about ten new technologies per year and upgrading our existing key product lines approximately every 3 years. At the end of 2023, we announced an expansion of our turbocharger portfolio to serve large bore engines used in industrial applications, including marine, power generation and other machinery. Outside of our turbocharger product lines, we apply this culture of continuous innovation to meet the needs of our customers in new areas. We are developing solutions and increasing our R&D spend, focusing almost 60% of total research, development and engineering expenditures in 2024 on zero emission technologies for mobility and beyond,
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such as fuel cell compressors for a broad range of cell stack power (40kW to 250kW) and high value electric products including E-Powertrain and E-Cooling compressor technologies.
Strong and collaborative relationships with leading OEMs globally
We supply our products to more than 60 OEMs globally. Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 61% of net sales and our largest customer represented approximately 12% of our net sales in 2023. With over 60 years in the turbocharger industry, we have developed strong capabilities working with all major OEMs. We consistently meet their stringent design, performance and quality standards while achieving capacity and delivery timelines that are critical for customer success. Our track record of successful collaborations, as demonstrated by our strong client base and our ability to successfully launch multiple product applications annually, is well recognized. Our regional research, development and manufacturing capabilities are a key advantage in helping us to supply OEMs as they expand geographically and shift towards standardized engines and vehicle platforms globally. With regards to new technology offerings for zero emissions, our proven track record in bringing innovation to production is a key decision factor for our customers to engage in joint technology assessments through pre-development projects with Garrett.
Global and low-cost manufacturing footprint with operational excellence
Our geographic footprint locates R&D, engineering and manufacturing capabilities close to our customers, enabling us to tailor technologies and products for the specific vehicle types sold in each geographic industry. In all regions where we operate, we leverage low-cost sourcing through our robust supplier development program, which continually works to develop new suppliers that are able to meet our specific quality, productivity and cost requirements. We now source more than two-thirds of our materials from low-cost countries and believe our high-quality, low-cost supplier network to be a significant competitive advantage. We have invested heavily to bring differentiated local capabilities to our customers in high-growth regions, including China and India.
In 2023, we manufactured more than 89% of our products in low-cost countries, including seven manufacturing facilities in China, India, Mexico, Romania and Slovakia. We have a long-standing culture of lean manufacturing excellence and continuous productivity improvement. We believe global uniformity and operational excellence across facilities is a key competitive advantage in our industry given that OEM powertrain platforms are often designed centrally but manufactured locally, requiring suppliers to meet the exact same specifications across all locations.
Our Strategy
Garrett invests in innovative technologies that address the needs of our customers in the ongoing auto industry transformation. This continued investment into differentiated technology, coupled with our relentless focus on customer relationships and our global capabilities, allows us to drive the following business strategies:
• Strengthen our leadership in the turbocharger industry within the light vehicle, commercial vehicle and industrial space;
• Use of our differentiated technology to solve key challenges for zero emission vehicles;
• Grow our aftermarket business
Strengthen our leadership in the turbocharger industry within the light vehicle, commercial vehicle and industrial space
We are focused on strengthening our industry position in the light vehicle, commercial vehicle and industrial turbocharger industries:
• Light vehicle gasoline turbochargers, which have historically lagged the adoption of diesel turbochargers, after reaching a peak in 2023, are now expected to decrease at a 4% annual CAGR from 2023 to 2026, according to S&P. We have launched the first modern 1.5L VNT gasoline application with a major OEM and expect to see increasing adoption of this technology in the future years. A major key to our strategy for gasoline growth is our plan to leverage our strengths in high temperature materials and variable geometry technologies as well as our scale, global footprint and in-region capabilities to meet the volume demands of global OEMs. This also includes E-Boosting solutions for hybrids with many high volume application launches planned in coming years.
• The commercial vehicle and industrial spaces remain a focus for us, considering its slower shift to electric, and the increasing need for higher energy efficiency and productivity. We continue to invest in turbocharger technology upgrades, including for new types of fuels for ICE, like hydrogen. We also are expanding our
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portfolio with the launch of new frame sizes aimed at serving larger engines, mostly used in marine and power generation verticals.
Use of our differentiated technology to solve key challenges for zero emission vehicles
We stand to benefit from the increased adoption of electric (battery or fuel cell) vehicles. S&P estimates that the global production of electrified vehicles (battery and fuel cell electric) will increase from approximately 11 million vehicles in 2023 to approximately 31 million vehicles by 2027, representing an annualized growth rate of approximately 29%. To solve current challenges in terms of range, vehicle cost and performance, OEMs will need technologies enabling step changes in energy efficiency, weight and packaging and thermal management. We expect to continue to invest in product innovation and new technologies, and by leveraging our capabilities and expertise to develop selected offerings for electric vehicles, we believe that we are well positioned to remain a technology leader in the field of electrified vehicles. In particular, we have already developed a full portfolio of fuel cell compressors and we are in the pre-development phase with some of our customers for differentiated E-Powertrain and E-Cooling compressor solutions.
Grow our aftermarket business
We have an opportunity to strengthen our global network of more than 300 distributors in 165 countries by deepening our channel penetration, leveraging our well-recognized Garrett brand, utilizing new online technologies for customer engagement and sales, and widening the product portfolio. Installer Connect, a global web-based platform providing self-service tools aimed at connecting garage technicians generated more than 24,000 additional technicians certified, and our Turbo Service Replacement website attracted more than 800,000 visitors. Additionally, the Garrett Web Racing & Performance section of our website attracted nearly 1 million visitors in 2023.
Research, Development and Intellectual Property
We maintain technical engineering centers in major automotive production regions of the world to develop and provide advanced products, process and manufacturing support to all of our manufacturing sites, and to provide our customers with local engineering capabilities and design developments on a global basis. As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 1,300 engineers. Our total R&D expenses were $175 million, $153 million and $136 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, with more than 50% of our total R&D spend in 2023 focused on zero emission technologies. Additionally, the Company incurred engineering-related expenses, net of customer (reimbursements) which are also included in Cost of goods sold of $(12) million , $11 million and $22 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Engineering-related expenses include customer reimbursements of $46 million, $25 million and $21 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
We currently hold approximately 1,300 patents and patents pending. Our current patents are expected to expire between 2024 and 2043. While no individual patent or group of patents, taken alone, is considered material to our business, taken in the aggregate, these patents provide meaningful protection for our intellectual property.
Materials
The most significant raw materials we use to manufacture our products are grey iron, aluminum, stainless steel and a nickel-, iron- and chromium-based alloy. As of December 31, 2023, we have not experienced any significant shortage of raw materials and we or our suppliers (on our behalf) do not typically carry inventories of such raw materials in excess of those reasonably required to meet our production and shipping schedules.
Our Customers
Our global customer base includes nine of the ten largest light vehicle OEMs and nine of the ten largest commercial vehicle engine makers. Our ten largest applications in 2023 were with six different OEMs. OEM sales were approximately 86% of our 2023 revenues while our aftermarket and other products contributed 14%.
Our largest customer is Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (“BMW”). In 2023, 2022 and 2021, BMW accounted for 12%, 12%, and 13%, respectively, of our total sales. In 2023, 2022 and 2021, our sales to Ford Motor Company (“Ford”) were 9%, 10%, and 10%, respectively, of our total sales.
Supply relationships with our customers
We typically supply products to our OEM customers through “open” purchase orders, which are generally governed by terms and conditions negotiated with each OEM. Although the terms and conditions vary from customer to customer,
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they typically contemplate a relationship under which our customers are not required to purchase a minimum amount of product from us. These relationships typically extend over the life of the related engine platform. Prices are negotiated with respect to each business award, which may be subject to adjustments under certain circumstances, such as commodity or foreign exchange escalation/de-escalation clauses or for cost reductions achieved by us. The terms and conditions typically provide that we are subject to a warranty on the products supplied. We may also be obligated to share in all or a part of recall costs if the OEM recalls its vehicles for defects attributable to our products.
Individual purchase orders are terminable for cause or non-performance and, in most cases, upon our insolvency and certain change of control events. In addition, many of our OEM customers have the option to terminate for convenience on certain programs, which permits our customers to impose pressure on pricing during the life of the vehicle program, and issue purchase contracts for less than the duration of the vehicle program, potentially reducing our profit margins and increasing the risk of losing future sales under those purchase contracts. We manufacture, and ship based on customer release schedules, normally provided on a weekly basis, which can vary due to cyclical automobile production or inventory levels throughout the supply chain.
Although customer programs typically extend to future periods, and although there is an expectation that we will supply certain levels of OEM production during such future periods, customer agreements including applicable terms and conditions do not necessarily constitute firm orders. Firm orders are generally limited to specific and authorized customer purchase order releases placed with our manufacturing and distribution centers for actual production and order fulfilment. Firm orders are typically fulfilled as promptly as possible from the conversion of available raw materials, sub-components and work-in-process inventory for OEM orders and from current on-hand finished goods inventory for aftermarket orders. The dollar amount of such purchase order releases on hand and not processed at any point in time is not believed to be significant based upon the time frame involved.
Regulatory and Environmental Compliance
We are subject to the requirements of environmental and health and safety laws and regulations in each country in which we operate. These include, among other things, laws regulating air emissions, water discharge, hazardous materials and waste management. We have an environmental management structure designed to facilitate and support our compliance with these requirements globally. Although it is our intent to comply with all such requirements and regulations, we cannot provide assurance that we are at all times in compliance. Environmental requirements are complex, change frequently and have tended to become more stringent over time. Accordingly, we cannot assure that environmental requirements will not change or become more stringent over time or that our eventual environmental costs and liabilities will not be material.
Certain environmental laws assess liability on current or previous owners or operators of real property for the cost of removal or remediation of hazardous substances. At this time, we are involved in various stages of investigation and cleanup related to environmental remediation matters at certain of our present and former facilities. In addition, there may be soil or groundwater contamination at several of our properties resulting from historical, ongoing or nearby activities.
As of December 31, 2023, the undiscounted reserve for environmental investigation and remediation was $18 million. We do not currently possess sufficient information to reasonably estimate the amounts of environmental liabilities to be recorded upon future completion of studies, litigation or settlements, and we cannot determine either the timing or the amount of the ultimate costs associated with environmental matters, which could be material to our consolidated results of operations and operating cash flows in the periods recognized or paid. However, considering our past experience and existing reserves, we do not expect that environmental matters will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position.
Corporate Responsibility
Our sustainability approach
Garrett is a cutting-edge technology leader delivering differentiated solutions for emission reduction and energy efficiency. We are passionate about innovating for mobility and beyond. With a 70-year legacy, we serve customers worldwide with passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle, aftermarket replacement, and performance enhancement solutions.
Garrett’s mission to deliver differentiated solutions for emission reduction and energy efficiency is at the heart of our contribution to society. Our engineering expertise and transformative technologies help optimize fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and manage growing vehicle complexity, all of which are critical areas on the road to a clean transportation future. Garrett's technologies enable sustainable automotive and industry transformation.
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Our corporate sustainability framework, called WeCare4, starts from our mission by spearheading technology development and continuing to deliver industry-first innovations for mobility and beyond. It is built on two main pillars - investing in a culture of innovation and operating responsibly to ensure long-term impact.
We embed sustainability in our governance structure. Our Sustainability Committee, composed of the CEO and several members of Garrett’s senior leadership team, is sponsored by our Chief Technology Officer and oversees our sustainability strategy development, definition and deployment. Our Board of Directors, including its committees, provide Board oversight of our environment, social and governance ("ESG") activities, corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy. Primary responsibility at Board level for reviewing and reporting to the full Board on our sustainability programs and policies, as well as our corporate citizen commitments, resides with the Nominating & Governance Committee.
Garrett articulates its commitments to social and environmental considerations in the communities in which it operates in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, which can be found on our website at www.garrettmotion.com under "About Us – Investors – Leadership & Governance". The Company published its fiscal year 2022 Sustainability Report in 2023, the content of which is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report or in any other report or document we file with the SEC.
Human Capital
At Garrett, we place a high value on developing the right working environment and skill sets to advance our performance culture, support our growth strategy and ensure that the world at large can continue to benefit from breakthroughs in sustainable mobility. We invest in creating an inclusive, stimulating, and safe work environment where our employees can deliver their workplace best every day. As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 7,600 permanent employees and 2,100 temporary and contract workers globally.
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Diversity, equity and inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion is one of Garrett’s four fundamentals. As such, we strive to ensure that our employees are each involved, supported, respected and connected. Embracing diverse thoughts and ideas through inclusion leads to a competitive advantage in the market, increased innovation as we generate new and better ideas, and customer-centric decision making. We pride ourselves that diversity is represented from the top of the organization, for example 26 different nationalities are represented in our senior management team and they bring with them a wide variety of different backgrounds and experiences. Overall, in our global workforce we have representation of approximately 60 different nationalities. As of December 31, 2023, Garrett's Board of Directors had 33% female representation.
In 2023, the Company continued to strengthen and develop its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion. Actions during the year included:
• Regular reporting and review of existing diversity and inclusion metrics and initiatives
• Work by our team of Diversity and Inclusion Champions in key countries to develop local Diversity and Inclusion initiatives suitable for the local context while aligning with the global strategy
• Training for all managers on Unconscious Bias
• Holding Garrett’s annual Diversity and Inclusion Week in December, where the focus was engagement around three new Employee Resource Groups ("ERGs"), Cultural Mosaic, LGBTIQ+ and Diverse Abilities, in addition to the long-standing Garrett Women's Network ERG.
The percentage of female employees in Garrett was 22.8% in 2023 (an increase from 21.8% in 2022). The percentage of female employees in Senior Management roles was 19.5% in 2023.
The table below shows the evolution of our gender diversity representation over the last four years and our 2025 ambition:
2020 2021 2022 2023 2025 Ambition
% Women in total workforce 20.8% 22.2% 21.8% 22.8% 25.0%
% Women in Senior Management 19.5% 20.0% 19.0% 19.5% 25.0%
Talent management
At Garrett, we encourage our employees to develop their skills and capabilities through a comprehensive Performance and Talent Management system. From annual goal setting and performance reviews to learning opportunities for employees and leaders, the Company helps its people align their professional experience with the Company’s business objectives and encourages them to take ownership of their development and career paths.
Our learning environment offers employees access to approximately 1,800 online trainings that address a wide range of functional competencies, technical skills, and human skills. Learning can be self-paced, while the Company’s growing online peer-to-peer learning communities also allow employees to easily access courses specific to their function and to share materials and ideas on topics of interest. A variety of instructor led virtual programs were deployed during 2023 to support employees' development and a number of dedicated programs for emerging and experienced leaders were successfully held. More than 68,500 hours of online training was delivered during 2023.
We use regular talent reviews to strengthen the Company’s internal development processes and to calibrate assessment of individual performance. Twice per year, we hold succession planning meetings up to and including the executive level, during which the bench-strength of teams are scrutinized and development plans for their talent are reviewed. Ahead of both annual and mid-year performance reviews, leaders hold calibration meetings to ensure that assessment ratings are consistent and fair amongst peer groups. To support our strategy and objectives, in 2023 we implemented a skills intelligence system. This system, enabled by artificial intelligence, can detect known and hidden capabilities of our employees. We expect this system will support us in identifying efficient paths of upskilling, reskilling and hiring for our future needs.
Be well, work well
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Health and safety
World-class health and safety considerations are integrated into Garrett’s procedures and processes. Our management system aligns with the global standard ISO 45001 (and ISO 14001 and ISO 50 001) and provides protection of human health and safety during normal and emergency situations. Compliance with our standards and local regulatory requirements is monitored through a company-wide self-assessment process assured through annual audits. In 2023 we continued a rolling 4-year compliance audit against local regulations by a global service provider. The timely development and implementation of process improvement and corrective action plans, including any improvements identified through our local regulatory compliance audits, are closely monitored.
Our safety performance improved when measured by our Total Case Incident Rate (“TCIR”), which reduced to 0.04 in 2023, compared to 0.12 in 2022. TCIR is measured as the number of recordable injuries and illnesses multiplied by 200,000 and then that number is divided by the total number of hours worked by employees.
Compensation and benefits
Garrett’s rewards programs are rooted in our “Be well, work well” principle, and aim to support employees in achieving the right work-life balance. We invest significant time and resources in establishing compensation programs that are both competitive and equitable. We constantly evaluate our positions for market competitiveness and adjust when necessary with the goal of ensuring the retention of top talent and continuation of equitable pay practices.
As part of our commitment to the well-being of our employees, the Company offers an Employee Assistance Program. It is an external counselling service designed to assist employees with personal, family, or workplace matters. This service is confidential and is also available to each employee’s dependents.
Employee feedback, representation, and retention
Garrett’s Performance and Talent Management system aims to ensure that two-way dialogue is ongoing between employees and managers, punctuated by both an annual and a mid-year review, which provides employees the opportunity to express their opinions and ideas in terms of their development goals and career aspirations.
Garrett’s strategy is to build positive, direct, business-focused working relationships with all employees in order to drive business results. The Company respects employees’ rights and their wish to be part of employee representative bodies including unions, work councils and employee forums. The Company understands the value of collective bargaining in its labor and employee relations strategy and the importance of trust in its working relationships. Approximately 40% of the Company’s permanent employees (including both full-time and part-time employees) are represented by unions and works councils under current collective bargaining agreements.
The Company closely monitors employee turnover to measure retention and define improvement actions as and where necessary. As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s annual voluntary turnover for 2023 was 10.3%, which reflects the trends of the current global marketplace for talent. Garrett has developed a full set of actions to maximize retention that are carried out at both a global and local level, with line managers as well as functional leaders held accountable for their employee turnover performance. We intend to continue to work diligently on this area to mitigate against the challenges of a highly competitive global marketplace for talent.
Educating future innovators
Garrett places a high value on STEM research and learning opportunities that provide young people with the skills needed to develop the future of sustainable mobility. The Company sponsors higher education institutes in several countries to further critical research in technical areas and provide students with opportunities to study STEM programs.
Garrett’s Internship Programs enable students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical responsibilities in the spirit of ‘living laboratories’ during which they are encouraged to take ownership of business projects and define tactics to meet the project goals. In 2023, Garrett welcomed 205 Interns in 11 countries, versus 261 internships in 2022 (approximately 44% in Engineering, 18% in Integrated Supply Chain, 16% in IT and the remainder in Finance, HR, Marketing and Sales, Legal and Internal Audit).
In 2023, Garrett onboarded 10 graduates into our Graduate Program in China and India to join existing Graduate Program cohorts moving through their rotational cycles and to gain experience and exposure to Garrett's cutting-edge technologies while at the same time building their leadership skills in a fast-paced and professional work environment.
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In 2023, the Company sponsored 5 Formula SAE and Formula Student teams in several countries providing the students in the racing team with over 10 technical workshops in electrical powertrain, leadership coaching, parts for the racing vehicle and financial support. Garrett sponsored the Formula SAE event in the U.S., the Formula Student race in Hungary and the Formula Student race in the Czech Republic, where our experts worked as technical judges, provided technical support and awarded 3 EV Formula Student University teams with the Garrett E-Powertrain Innovation award. During 2023, the Company shared its growth vision with over 1,500 students and over 300 female engineers and automotive enthusiasts. The Company also sponsored the European BEST Engineering Competition, the biggest international competition in Central Europe.
The Garrett student programs hires over 90 students globally to support challenging projects in multiple engineering fields providing an enriching growth experience for potential future Garrett employees. The Company also supports local Universities globally with master thesis projects, class speakers and technical sharing events. Garrett is involved in the community supporting STEM activities for high schools worldwide and in 2023, Garrett sponsored a high school team from the Czech Republic competing in hydrogen-powered racing. The Company continues to enhance the engagement with global organizations with a focus on growing diversity interest in STEM and automotive engineering as well as intern and full time recruiting.
Garrett works closely with leading Universities globally on over 12 collaboration projects that push the envelope of technical innovation.
Seasonality
Our business is typically moderately seasonal. Our primary North American customers historically reduce production during the month of July and halt operations for approximately one week in December; our European customers generally reduce production during the months of July and August and for one week in December; and our Chinese customers often reduce production during the period surrounding the Chinese New Year. Shut-down periods in the rest of the world generally vary by country. In addition, automotive production is traditionally reduced in the months of July, August and September due to the launch of parts production for new vehicle models. Accordingly, our results reflect this seasonality. Our sales predictability in the short term might also be impacted by sudden changes in customer demand, driven by our OEM customers’ supply chain management.
We also typically experience seasonality in cash flow, as a relatively small portion of our full year cash flow is typically generated in the first quarter of the year and a relatively large portion in the last quarter. This seasonality in cash flow is mostly caused by timing of supplier payments for capital expenditures, changes in working capital balances related to the sales seasonality discussed above, and incentive payments.
Additional Information
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, including this Annual Report, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as all amendments and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, are also available free of charge on our internet site at https://www.garrettmotion.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The contents of our internet site are not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report. The SEC maintains a website at SEC.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file with the SEC, including our Company.