This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One billion — that's how many airbag initiators Autoliv Inc. has produced at its plant in Tremonton since 2005.
And it was a cause of celebration with the plant's 400 employees, local and state officials attending a ceremony to mark the occasion on Thursday.
"Customers and families depend on the initiators made in Utah to save lives and prevent fatal injuries," said Dan Garceau, vice president of airbag operations for Autoliv Americas. "The public relies on Autoliv's expertise to manufacture the best automotive safety products in the world."
Initiators are the devices that trigger the explosive deployment of an airbag in the event of a crash.
The Tremonton plant has been Autoliv's primary initiator-producing facility since 2005 and builds an average of nearly 2.7 million of the devices each week.
Autoliv also operates three other plants in Utah. They are located in Brigham City, Ogden and Promontry.