Thyssenkrupp is building one of the largest sites in the world dedicated to producing steering technology. Located in Changzhou, China, the highly automated facility is being constructed on a site measuring just over 150,000 square meters, and following its scheduled opening next year, it will start supplying Chinese and international auto manufacturers with steering components and complete electric steering systems.
Thyssenkrupp is investing around €200m in the first phase of the project, which when complete will have an average production capacity of about four million electric power-assisted steering systems per year and will create roughly 800 new jobs in the coming years.
Dr Karsten Kroos, CEO of Thyssenkrupp’s components technology business division stated, “We offer our customers the full range of electric steering systems for lightweight cars, sedans, SUVs and vans. In this and last fiscal year we received orders worth around €8bn for this steering technology alone. On this basis we have been further expanding our production network in North America, Europe and Asia in recent months. The new facility in Changzhou will be the central production hub for our steering activities in China.”
In the last three fiscal years Thyssenkrupp has invested around €300m in expanding the plant infrastructure of its components business in China. The components technology division supplies its products to customers around the world from the automotive, construction and wind energy sectors and currently operates eleven production sites in China alone.
“In addition to the big international OEMs, we are also supplying more and more components to Chinese car makers. In the steering business alone, our portfolio of Chinese customers has more than doubled in recent months. That’s why we are increasing the scope of manufacturing at our new Changzhou site and producing the full spectrum of steering technology – from individual mechanical parts to steering columns, to electric steering systems. We will also have local development teams there who will adapt our products to the requirements of our regional customers,” added Kroos.
