Eaton opens APAC Vehicle Tech Centre in Shanghai

Power management company Eaton has, on April 4, opened its Vehicle Group Asia Pacific Technical Center in Shanghai. The new facility will drive the development and product localisation strategy of energy-efficient vehicle power management solutions for the Chinese and regional markets.

According to Eaton chairman and CEO Alexander M Cutler, “The opening of the new technical centre enables Eaton to better serve the high-growth Asia Pacific markets by bringing the innovative and energy-saving solutions closer to our customers. Today also underscores our long-term commitment to China, which has been a major growth market for Eaton and continues to be of great strategic importance.”

The $3.3 million technical centre has seven major labs. This facility will further strengthen the local testing and development resources of Eaton’s Vehicle Group, and significantly upgrade its ability to work with the customers in the development of new engine platforms and efficient solutions in support of the largest passenger and commercial vehicle market in the world.

“We are well positioned to participate in China’s massive urbanisation and will continue to expand our engineering and manufacturing presence in this important market,” Cutler said. “Protecting and improving the environment through innovation are among Eaton’s highest priorities. We are confident that we can help our customers here address the great energy challenges as China promotes a new model of sustainable urbanisation.”

In China, Eaton now has six R&D and engineering centres, including a global corporate research and technology centre in Shanghai. Eaton says it has made extensive efforts to cooperate with Chinese universities, research institutes and academia to drive progress in R&D and the cultivation of local talent.

Eaton began its operations in China in 1993 by launching its first manufacturing facility in Jining of Shandong Province. Since then it has significantly expanded its presence to include 28 manufacturing facilities and more than 18,000 employees. Eaton has set a sales target of $2 billion in China for 2015.