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ises with the opening of a new 3,000-square- meter production plant. That year also marked a racing first, when every single Japanese team in the Superbike World Championship used Akrapovič systems, demonstrating the quality and high regard the exhausts had attained. Akrapovič hit new heights in racing in 2000, winning its first world championship, when the WSBK title was taken by Colin Edwards riding a Honda. This was followed by the company's entry into MotoGP in 2002 and cooperation with factory teams at the highest level of motor- cycle racing. Further modernization of the company continued, with production upgrades and improved workforce education, all leading to an enhanced development process. In 2005 Akrapovi č introduced the first hexagonal exhaust system. This revolutionary and unique design marked a huge step for the company and another important landmark in its history. Akrapovič followed up its two- wheeled success by achieving its first victory in a 24-hour car race, with Manthey-Racing Team taking victory at the prestigious Nür- b u r g r i n g 2 4 - h o u r event in 2008. As the first decade of the 21st century drew to a close, Akrapovi č continued to expand, and 2009 saw the opening of a new state-of-the- art titanium foundry in a large purpose-built extension of the factory at Ivančna Gorica in Slovenia. High-profile car partnerships fol- lowed, as ventures with Audi Sport in FIA WEC and BMW Motorsport in DTM were announced in 2012. The Audi Sport part- nership in 2012 saw Akrapovič win its first car world championship title with an Audi R18 e-tron quattro racing car, and added to the strength of the collaboration, which wit- nessed unbeatable performances by Akrapovič- equipped Audi LMP1 racing cars at the 24h Le Mans from 2010 until 2014. New partners were revealed in 2013, as Akrapovič became an official supplier to Aston Martin Racing in FIA WEC and the official exhaust sponsor to X-raid Team's MINI ALL4 Racing cars — a partnership that led to victory in the tough and demanding Dakar rally. Honors and commendations have been regu- larly bestowed upon the Slovenian specialists. Winning the highly important Red Dot: Best of the Best award in the Product Design category — the highest possible honor available — for the Akrapovi č Evolution Line (Titanium) exhaust system for the Ducati 1199 Panigale in 2014 further underscored the high standards the com- pany had reached. The system is now a perma- nent feature at the Red Dot exhibition in Essen. Akrapovič pushed the innovative boundar- ies of exhaust design and manufacturing even further in 2015, in both the car and motor- cycle sectors. The Evolution Line (Titanium) exhaust system for the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Coupé, which was presented at IAA Frankfurt in 2015, is a new-generation exhaust system that is 45 percent lighter than the stock system, is EC/ECE type approved and features an inno- vative active x-connection to create two distinct sound characters of the V8 engine. In the two-wheel market, 2015 saw the latest concept and the first titanium ver- sion of the revolutionary Akrapovi č exhaust system launched at EICMA in Milan. These cutting-edge, technically advanced designs feature a host of innovative features, and are a distinctive progression from the initial hexagonal muffler, showing that the Slo- venian exhaust special- ists are constantly looking towards the future with their innovative and hi- tech exhaust technology. The importance of racing led to a significant event in the company's history in late 2015, as the milestone of 100 world champions was achieved when Jorge Lorenzo secured the MotoGP title at Valencia. With sustained growth in both the car and bike markets for aftermarket and OEM parts, the expansion in production at the new facility in Črnomelj, which opened in 2015, is going from strength to strength, making the outlook for Akrapovič a very promising and exciting one as it commemorates its 25th anniversary with some very exciting events planned for 2016. "I am delighted to be able to celebrate the company's first quarter of a century, and I hope that the next 25 years — and beyond — are just as successful," Akrapovič said. "Who knows what we can accomplish as Akrapovič continues to grow in the future? We are deter- mined to be the finest we can be in all areas, including the development of innovative prod- ucts, commercial growth, and the desire to be the best in all our racing activities. I am excited by what the future holds and, if it is anything like the first 25 years, then it will certainly be an amazing journey." PSB www.PowersportsBusiness.com Powersports Business • January 25, 2016 • 15 AKRAPOVIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 Igor Akrapovic founded the Akrapovic exhaust manufacturer in 1991.