It's one of those things you don't think about until you need it – that is, until your life depends on it. It's a side-curtain airbag. And E.R. Wagner was instrumental in helping one company build a better one – in a hurry – for a high-profile customer.

That customer was a major auto manufacturer, which needed to improve its rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for head injuries on one of its vehicles. They needed a better side airbag system and needed it in just six months.

After another company refused the project as expecting too much, too fast, a worldwide leader in automotive safety products took it on – and, with the help of E.R. Wagner, came through with flying colors. When all was said and done, the auto manufacturer had improved the vehicle's safety rating to "Good," the best possible rating. This surpassed the project's stated goal, which had been to achieve an "Acceptable" rating.

"We had been talking with this company for years about helping with a project," explains Paul Meshke, Engineering Manager for the Tubular Products division. "When this opportunity arose to produce inflator retainers for a new side airbag system, we worked closely with their engineering and testing people on a variety of designs before hitting on the one that's now in production."

E.R. Wagner suggested replacing fabricated tubular retainers with a lower-cost wrapped tube that has improved retention features. Not only did this solution meet the stringent quality and timeframe goals, it actually ended up lowering its costs. As a result, following rigorous facility and quality audits, the customer added E.R. Wagner to its Approved Supplier list, and the two companies now enjoy a mutually beneficial working relationship.