Joint venture targets ‘advanced design’ school bus seating

M2K Seating Systems LLC and TK Holdings Inc. have jointly acquired all assets of SynTec Inc. in High Point, N.C.

The expanded joint-venture company, SynTec Seating Solutions LLC, will produce “advanced design school bus seating systems for school bus manufacturers throughout North America,” the companies said in a statement.

“SynTec Seating Solutions will now be able to leverage the proven design, engineering, and production capabilities of several very large and well established global suppliers of modern transportation seating components for high-volume auto and truck industries,” Co-Chairman/CEO Ron Lamparter said. “These advanced technologies will now enable SynTec Seating Solutions to further enhance the quality, performance and safety of seats used in school buses, while simultaneously reducing both weight and operating costs for customers.”

M2K, based in Sterling Heights, Mich., produces a variety of seating-related products for the school bus industry. TK Holdings, a subsidiary of Takata Corp. of Auburn Hills, Mich., produces automobile safety systems and components to vehicle OEMs and tier-one suppliers worldwide.

Other companies providing SynTec Seating Solutions with engineering and production support in North America include Irvin Automotive (seat upholstery), Woodbridge Group (seat foam), BHM Technologies (seat frames) and TKE Electronics (electronic systems).

In addition to the manufacturing facility in North Carolina, the joint venture will produce school bus seating systems in an existing Woodbridge facility in Lithonia, Ga. Additional locations are expected in response to increased production requirements, the statement said.