Mahle expands Tech Centre in Shanghai

Mahle, which manufactures components and systems for the internal combustion engine and its peripherals as well as vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling, is celebrating the third major expansion phase of its R&D centre in China. In addition, a Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems (BMTS) production plant, a plant for industrial filtration, and a production line for the manufacturing of tools for the Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit will be opened on the campus.

With this third expansion, approximately 15,000 square metres of production space and 3,200 square metres of office space have been added in a newly constructed building. Now with a total of around 35,000 square metres of production, office, laboratory, and test bench space, the R&D centre in Shanghai is the largest Mahle Tech Center in Asia, ahead of Okegawa and Kawagoe in Japan and Pune in India.

Founded in April 2006, the site will be home to the development of piston systems, cylinder components, and valve train systems, as well as air, fuel, and oil management systems. The location is also the headquarters of Mahle in China—in addition to R&D, central functions such as sales, purchasing, human resources, IT, and finance reside here. Currently, 410 employees work at the site; the expansion will create space for up to 1,000 employees.

Bosch Mahle Turbo System (BMTS)—a 50/50 joint venture between Mahle and Bosch—will primarily manufacture exhaust gas turbochargers for petrol engines destined for the Chinese market in its first production plant in China. Orders have already been secured from several local and international vehicle manufacturers.

In 2014, some 64,000 employees at over 140 production locations and 10 major R&D centres are expected to generate sales of around 10 billion euros (Rs 76,650 crore).