SHANGHAI—Cooper Standard Automotive Inc. will open two new facilities in China, one in Kunshan and the other in Shenyang.
The firm's Kunshan facility is the second in the area, which includes a manufacturing and test center dedicated to fluid transfer and fuel and brake delivery systems. Its Shenyang facility will produce sealing systems.
“As Cooper Standard continues to grow in China and across the Asia Pacific region, these new facilities will further strengthen our market positions and enable us to better serve our customers,” Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Edwards said in an Aug. 4 news release. “The further localization and expansion of our test capabilities is part of our long-term commitment to the Chinese market and is also essential to our profitable growth strategy.”
Cooper Standard said expanding its fluid transfer and fuel and brake delivery systems operation to its second Kunshan location reinforces the company's ability to serve the area where there is a concentration of automotive customers. The firm said the city is a growing satellite city of Shanghai.
The company said its Shenyang sealing facility further solidifies its position as the largest sealing manufacturer in the Chinese market. Earlier in the year it acquired majority ownership of its joint venture with Huayu Automotive Systems Co. Ltd., its domestic Chinese partner.
The Kunshan location covers about 270,000 square feet while the Shenyang location spans about 9,300 square feet. The firms are expected to combine to add more than 500 employees, including about 20 engineers to support the development of global platforms designed in Asia.
The firm now operates 11 manufacturing and technical facilities with 5,200 employees in China, all adjacent to major original equipment automotive manufacturers' operations.
Headquartered in Novi, Mich., Cooper Standard Holdings Inc. is the parent company of Cooper Standard, which provides sealing, fuel and brake delivery, fluid transfer, and anti-vibration systems. The firm employs more than 27,000 people in 20 countries.