Gasgoo Munich-On October 23, the 14th Automotive and Environment Innovation Forum and the 8th Gasgoo Awards "China Solutions, Global Value" ceremony took place in Shanghai. Wu Huimin, Executive Director of Global Expert Engineering at Gentherm, recently transitioned from her role as Executive Director of Application Engineering and Project Management in Asia. This move reflects the company's strategy to be "rooted in China, leveraged globally, and influential globally."
Wu highlighted that Gentherm, a 90-year-old innovation leader in thermal technology, has a core portfolio spanning four categories: heating, ventilation and cooling, pneumatic solutions, and valves. In October, the company completed its integration with Modine's High Performance Technology business. The combined entity generates about $2.6 billion in annual revenue, operates R&D and manufacturing bases across 17 countries, and employs roughly 18,000 people.
Turning to the Chinese market, Wu pointed out that adoption rates for heating, ventilation, lumbar support, and massage products are set to surge significantly between 2021 and 2026. The growth is driven by Chinese automakers and users pursuing the ultimate in comfort. Products like blowers, heated steering wheels, and sensor pads—innovated under the lead of Chinese engineers—have already undergone multiple iterations. Pneumatic products based on platform design moved from securing their first project in September 2024 to mass production in just a few months, establishing a global standard. She revealed that three Chinese engineers have joined the global engineering leadership team this year, with "China speed" now propelling Gentherm's global technology iteration.
