PARIS—French rubber parts manufacturer Hutchinson S.A. is expanding its worldwide manufacturing operation, which includes 95 industrial sites—including 60 in Europe, 19 in North America and 10 in Asia—and 28 technical centers around the world.
Hutchinson “essentially goes where our customers are,” said Jacques Maigne, chairman and CEO, explaining his global manufacturing strategy for the non-tire rubber products maker, which has almost $4 billion in annual sales.
A current focus is on Poland, the group's second largest country of manufacturing, with around 7,000 employees and five plants—two in Lodz for body sealing systems and aerospace and industrial products; two in Zywiec, both for fluid transfer systems, and one in Bielsko Biala for fluid transfer systems.
According to Maigne, the company recently has expanded its operations in Lodz and in Zywiec, under a company program that has included the introduction of mixing facilities to Poland.
In the Czech Republic, Hutchinson is expanding its 600-employee fluid transfer operation in Rokycany—its first ever plant in eastern Europe—with the addition of a new workshop at the location near Prague.
Elsewhere in the region, Hutchinson manufactures automotive and aerospace parts in Brasov Romania, including a new air duct workshop for Airbus in Brasov.
The group has also a presence in Serbia where, said Maigne, it has opened a new plant for automotive fluid transfer parts and systems this year at Ruma, north of Belgrade.
Hutchinson is also increasing its footprint in North America with the recent acquisition of Danielson, Conn.-based Delta Rubber Co., a 65-employee maker of precision rubber components for the automotive, energy and industrial markets, and the opening of a new plant for Airbus in Mobile, Ala.
