Airbag maker opens curtain line

A Chinese safety systems maker is adding a production line for side curtain airbags to meet demand from domestic automakers.

"More and more customers ask us to make curtain airbags," says Lifeng Yu, general manager, Shanghai East Joy Long Motor Airbag Co.

East Joy Long's curtain airbag line "will be ready for use in two months," says Bobby Li, vice president of marketing and sales.

Li says domestic automakers such as Chery Automobile Co. and China FAW Group Corp. have specifically asked for curtain airbags. Chinese consumers are seeking safer cars.

"In China usually only very high-end cars would have curtain airbags," he says. "But there is a trend now for more and more to have curtain airbags."

Autoliv Inc. makes curtain airbags in China and also sees demand growing from local automakers. Says Mats Ahman, Autoliv's China technical general manager: "We are in development projects with local Chinese OEMs for curtain airbags."

Key Safety Systems Inc., also makes curtain airbags in China.

In 2007 East Joy Long had sales of 200 million yuan ($27.6 million). In 2008, the company expects an 80 percent jump in sales to 360 million yuan ($49.8 million).

East Joy Long is working on new projects with Chery, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. and FAW Haima Automobile Co.

Existing customers include Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Jiangling Motors Corp. Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Geely Automobile Co., Chery and FAW.