AUBURN HILLS, MI: Embattled airbag-maker Takata has brought on Sard Verbinnen & Co. for communications support in the wake of its recall crisis.
A Takata spokesperson confirmed the relationship in a statement Tuesday afternoon and said the firm has been working with the company since last week.
"[Sard Verbinnen] has been retained to assist us in communicating our absolute commitment to cooperating with [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] and our customers to ensure the safety of the driving public," the company said in the statement.
A source close to the situation told PRWeek that agency president Paul Verbinnen is leading the team working on the account.
Automakers have recalled more than 20 million vehicles around the world since 2008 for defective Takata inflators, which have been linked to five deaths, according to Reuters. Honda, its biggest customer, has recalled 13.4 million cars, mostly in the US.
Takata chairman and CEO Shigehisa Takada released a statement this month detailing the company’s efforts to "provide increased assurances to the public, to our customers, and to the responsible government agencies that Takata will not rest" until it fixes the airbag issues.
The statement also noted that the company "deeply regrets the injuries and fatalities that have occurred in accidents involving ruptured airbag inflators."
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