CHONGQING, China—Cooper Standard Holdings Inc., parent company of Cooper Standard Automotive Inc., has opened two facilities in China, one in Huai'an and the other in Chongqing.
The firm said in a Feb. 2 news release that its Chongqing facility officially opened Feb. 1. It employs about 200 people and is more than 193,000 square feet. It will manufacture fluid transfer systems, fuel and brake delivery systems, and sealing systems for original equipment manufacturers like Ford Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Car Group.
Cooper Standard's joint venture with Japan's Inoac Corp. opened the Huai'an facility dedicated to producing fluid transfer systems products. The firm said the plant establishes a manufacturing hub to help it earn a leading position in the Chinese and Asian markets.
“The opening of our Huai'an and Chongqing facilities is a further testament to Cooper Standard's commitment to our customers and the Chinese automotive market,” said Jeffrey Edwards, Cooper Standard chairman and CEO. “Since 2012, we have more than doubled our investment in the area and are now pleased to employ more than 5,200 employees in 11 manufacturing and technical facilities across the country.”
Cooper Standard has accelerated its business development in the Asia-Pacific area in recent years, with a focus on China. It established a technical center in Shanghai, including a test center for fluid transfer systems products; acquired majority ownership of its joint venture with China-based Huayu Automotive Systems Co. Ltd.; expanded the operational scale of fluid transfer and fuel and brake delivery product lines in Eastern China; and opened a new sealing facility in Northeast China.
Headquartered in Novi, Mich., Cooper Standard is a global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry, including rubber and plastic sealing, fuel and brake lines, fluid transfer hoses, and anti-vibration systems. It employs more than 27,000 people globally with operations in 20 countries.