MANN+HUMMEL reports expansion in China

The fourth MANN+HUMMEL facility in China, the new company, spanning an area of 20,000 square feet, is to be located in Jiading, a district of Shanghai housing one of the largest automotive parts parks in Asia. The new company, which will mainly manufacture filter systems and filters for the automotive OEM and aftermarket, is expected to break ground in January 2009 while the production facility will be in place by January 2010. It also will be MANN+HUMMEL's China headquarters and the base of its Asian research and development (R&D) center.

MANN+HUMMEL plans to put additional investment into the company over the coming years, increasing the land area by approximately 13,000 square feet. The new facilities also will include a dedicated aftermarket warehouse to service the growing aftermarket needs of the motor companies and the independent aftermarket.

"China has become the second largest car-producing nation in the world. As a leader in the automotive and industrial filtration industry, we are committed to serving the local market with our industry-leading technology and products," said Patrick Cudmore, managing director of MANN+HUMMEL China. "We choose Jiading because it has a strong focus on the automotive parts industry and this new company will be our base for future research and development, as well as for future business development."

MANN+HUMMEL was founded in 1941 in Ludwigsburg, Germany, as an automotive components supplier. Since then, the company has made significant contributions towards developments in filtration technology. Today, the MANN+HUMMEL Group also is engaged in other branches of industry throughout the world. The 3,200 patents and patent applications worldwide clearly illustrate the enormous innovative potential and capability of MANN+HUMMEL in the development of innovative solutions for the automotive and mechanical engineering industries. As far as patents in the filtration sector are concerned, MANN+HUMMEL is number one in Europe.

Since entering the Chinese market in 1996, MANN+HUMMEL has established three companies in the market -- two manufacturing companies in Shanghai and in Changchun, and a trading company in Shanghai. In mid-2007, MANN+HUMMEL increased its shareholding in Shanghai MANN+HUMMEL Filter Co. Ltd. from 60 to 100 percent. The Chinese market plays a strategic role in MANN+HUMMEL's Asian aim, which is to be one of the top five suppliers in Asia.