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A Strategic Milestone: ContiTech Vibration Control Opens a New R&D Centre in China
3/6/2013 |
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Getting closer to customers at automotive manufacturers in Asia
Investments totalling eight million euros
Developing engine mounts for the global platform of the Chinese automotive manufacturer Qoros
Changshu, China / Hanover, Germany, 6th March 2013. The Vibration Control business unit and ContiTech's Chinese subsidiary ContiTech China Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., based in the city of Changshu, are opening their first Research and Development Centre in China. As one of the world's leading international companies for the production of mounting elements for the automotive industry, ContiTech Vibration Control was awarded the contract for developing the central platform for the construction of the new Qoros car brand in 2010. "Being awarded this contract was the ultimate impetus for us to provide our customers with our expertise and local engineering services directly on-site at their facilities in the future", declares Heinz-Gerhard Wente, the CEO of ContiTech AG at its headquarters in Germany, explaining the company's strategic decision to further develop its research and development expertise in the important Asian automotive market.
The company works in close cooperation with customers such as Geely, Great Wall Motor Company, General Motors, Shanghai Volkswagen and Qoros with the aim of manufacturing innovative products for mounting and vibration control technology featuring the high commitment to quality inherent in "German engineering made by ContiTech". According to Wente, comprehensive service and customised solutions are important factors behind the increasingly rapid growth of ContiTech Vibration Control with its customers in and from China.
As part of this growth, the company has invited important guests from the world of politics, significant customers and partners in China and ContiTech representatives to come and celebrate the opening ceremony of its new R&D Centre in Changshu on 6th March 2013 under the motto of "We Are Growing Together - Engineering Technologies Worldwide". "We have made the clear decision to develop our company in locations that form the focus of globally important automotive manufacturers, for example in Europe, North America, South America and consequently now also in Asia", adds Kai Uwe Frühauf, the Head of the Vibration Control Business Unit. According to Frühauf, this decision will enable the company to competently support car manufacturers globally with the development of global platforms as well as to quickly, precisely and extremely competently meet the demands and requirements of local customers in all important locations.
An example of such a brand is Qoros, which selected the engineers at ContiTech Vibration Control as the developers of its engine mount prototypes three years ago. The main reason behind this decision was the technological expertise and innovative power that the German-based company has developed over a number of decades. Benecke-Kaliko AG, a subsidiary of the company ContiTech AG, is also involved in the Qoros project by fitting the vehicles with its high-quality interior materials.
Global Standards for Regional Markets
ContiTech invested around eight million euros in its new R&D Centre in Changshu, which took just eight months to complete. Here the company's demands with regard to the development of chassis support and engine mounts are fully met. "Coordinating and precisely synchronising our cooperation with external contributors to the project was a huge challenge that our developers, project managers and quality managers were able to master extremely well", explains Jim Vance, who will be managing the R&D Centre in Changshu and working in cooperation with 30 Chinese engineers. The staff at the new R&D Centre are now responsible for the production of prototype engine mounts, shock absorbers, bushings and shock absorber mounts and want to set new benchmarks that enable Vibration Control products to become even more valued in Chinese vehicles, for example the company's high-quality individually constructed engine mounts, which significantly reduce unwanted vibrations in vehicle interiors when starting up and shutting down the engine. "We use our state-of-the-art test laboratory in Changshu to continuously test our engine mounts until they guarantee a maximum level of comfort, safety and durability and thus meet the highest quality demands that apply to vehicles in all classes", declares Kai Uwe Frühauf.
An Investment that Strengthens the Company's Market and Competitive Position
The new Vibration Control R&D Centre is located just 100 kilometres away in the province of Jiangsu, which is home to several automotive manufacturers. The site in Changshu enables the business unit in addition to China to ideally serve the Asian markets in Korea, Japan, and India. As Markus Duda, the Head of Sales in the Vibration Control business unit, explains: "Our research laboratories are so well distributed around Asia, Europe and North and South America that we are available to help our customers 24 hours a day across three time zones and can therefore work extremely efficiently."
The Media Round Table Discussion: Growing Together
ContiTech in China can now look back on a success story that dates back over 35 years and would not be possible without the expertise, experience and qualifications of the company's Chinese management staff and employees. The opening of the Vibration Control R&D Centre in Changshu and the Media Round Table Discussion, which will take place on 6th March 2013 under the motto "We Are Growing Together - Engineering Technologies Worldwide", offer media representatives the opportunity to establish contact with leading ContiTech representatives and Chinese partners.
The engineers at ContiTech Vibration Control want to set new benchmarks in the production of prototype engine mounts, shock absorbers, bushings and shock absorber mounts. Photo: ContiTech
In the state-of-the-art ContiTech Vibration Control test laboratory, engine mounts are continuously put to the test until they meet the highest requirements with regard to comfort, safety and durability. Photo: ContiTech
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