SHANGHAI (Jan. 24) — Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. has achieved a breakthrough in China by gaining its first export contract for Ford Motor Co.
In February, the company will start exporting power-steering hose assemblies to Ford in Australia. Until now, Cooper-Standard in China has only supplied Ford in China. It provides power steering hose assemblies for the Ford S-Max and the Mazda 3.
To expand its operations, Cooper-Standard formed a joint venture with Hubei Jingda Precision Steel Co. in November 2006. The new company — Cooper-Standard Jingda Automotive — will produce power steering hoses, said Steven Yu, director of China fluid operations for Cooper-Standard Automotive Global Fluid Systems.
Hubei Jingda, which has 400 employees, is a leading supplier of steel tubes in China, Yu said, with 2006 sales of about $14.2 million.
The joint venture plant will be operating fully in 18 months and will employ 400 people, according to the company.