The New Plant of Hydraulic Brake Systems to Begin Production in 2008.

Frankfurt/Shanghai, China, June 12, 2007. The Automotive Systems Division of the international automotive supplier Continental AG has announced plans to build a € 67 million Hydraulic Brake Systems plant on a 70,000 square meters tract in Changshu City, 100 kilometers northwest of China’s economic center Shanghai. As announced during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Changshu on June 12, the plant will begin mass production of Hydraulic Brake products in fall 2008, with employment of around 1000 staff locally in Changshu City in 2011.

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The new manufacturing facility, designed to further enhance Continental Automotive Systems’ manufacturing presence in China as one of the fastest growing automotive market in the world, will be built in phases in the Changshu Southeast Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu province.  When construction is completed in 2008, the plant will produce hydraulic brake products and services consisting of calipers for front and rear axles and brake boosters for vehicles at all classes, and supplying to numerous OEM customers in China, Japan and Korea. The annual production capacity is aimed to reach 2 millions of brake actuation units and 4.6 millions of brake caliper by 2011.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, President of Continental Automotive Systems and Member of the Executive Board, Continental AG, gave great credit to the fast growing Asian automotive market as a key driver in the company’s substantial development in Asia: “With its rapid growth during the past decade, Asia has indisputably become a key marketplace in the future development of the global automotive industry. The new plant in Changshu will bring our products and engineering services even closer to our customers in the region.”  

“By 2010, we want to double our sales in Asia.” said , President of the Asia Region and member of the Management Board at Continental Automotive Systems, as he described the company’s strategic goal in Asia. “The new plant in Changshu, will become the key production base of our hydraulic brake products in East Asia.  As the market leader in hydraulic brake technologies, we are committed to supplying our Asian customers with the best products, the best services and with uncompromising quality.”

Continental Automotive Systems began operations in China in the mid 1990s and opened its Asia headquarters in Shanghai in January 2006.  Today it has four plants and one winter test center in China supplying advanced Electronic Brake Systems, Hydraulic Brake Systems, Body Electronics and sensor products to the China automotive market.  With the strategic acquisition of Motorola’s automotive electronics business in 2006, Continental Automotive Systems further enhanced its competitiveness in China with additional engineering and manufacturing capabilities in Telematics and Bluetooth communications, Powertrain and Chassis technologies.  

The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers. In 2006 the corporation realized sales of EUR14.9 billion. It has a worldwide workforce of around 87,000.

As a worldwide leading technology partner to the automotive industry, the Automotive Systems Division of Continental AG integrates extensive know-how and uncompromising quality in the fields of driving safety, embedded telematics and hands-free communication systems, powertrain and comfort. In 2006 the Division achieved sales of approx. EUR6 billion with a workforce of more than 30,000. Continental Automotive Systems develops and produces electronic and hydraulic brake, stability and chassis control systems, electronic air suspension systems, sensors, engine management and transmission control systems, hybrid drives, cooling fan modules, body and security electronics and also is the industry leader of embedded telematics and communication systems in vehicles.