ELYRIA, Ohio — National Engineers Week takes place next week and Bendix is celebrating the event by participating in a school program to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Bendix has received 19 patents in 2004, bringing its patent total to 134 in the areas of air brake and safety systems. Combined with its parent company, Knorr-Bremse, the company holds more than 1,400 patents worldwide.

“The continuous growth of new patents initiated by our engineers is a testament to their dedication in embracing our core value of innovation. For 75 years, Bendix has been leading the way in product excellence and performance in the commercial vehicle industry. Our engineers are truly committed to our vision to deliver products that improve safety on the North American highways and help lower the overall cost of vehicle ownership,” said Bendix President and CEO Joe McAleese.

To celebrate its achievements, Bendix is helping promote the profession among young people. Bendix engineer, Maria Gutierrez will be speaking at Clearview High School in Lorain, Ohio to discuss practical applications of math, science and engineering with students. She will also talk about the career choices available within the engineering field while highlighting the importance of continuing education.

“It’s important to get students excited about engineering and show them that it is not all about math and science,” said Gutierrez. “You also have to deal with important business skills like communications, teamwork, integrity and leadership.”