Nov 1, 2002 12:00 PM

Cleveland OH-based Eaton Corp has signed an eight-year agreement with Volvo Trucks to begin manufacturing heavy-duty transmissions for the South American market. Production will take place at the Eaton transmission facility in Valinhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Total sales are estimated at $112 million.

Under the Volvo agreement, Eaton will manufacture and deliver 100% of the Volvo transmissions that will be needed to meet production requirements in the South American market. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in October 2004. The 14-speed transmissions will replace similar units now being imported from Sweden, as well as a different model being manufactured by a local independent transmission manufacturing company.