Dana Holding Corporation (NYSE: DAN) Tuesday announced the official opening of the company's new 12,000 square-meter (129,000 square-foot) technical center in Wuxi, Jiangsu Provence, China.
The Dana China Technical Center will provide advanced product and applications engineering for original-equipment manufacturers in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway markets in China and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The Dana China Technical Center includes a 5,800 square-meter (62,000 square-foot) test lab and provides 3,200 square meters (34,000 square feet) of manufacturing space to supplement the 17,000 square meters (183,000 square feet) dedicated to manufacturing at the adjacent Dana Wuxi Technologies Company, Ltd., facility.
"Dana has a long history of product innovation, and the Dana China Technical Center will allow us to further leverage technology synergies across all the markets and customers we serve around the world," said Roger J. Wood, president and chief executive officer of Dana. "We have recognized the importance of supporting the Chinese market for more than two decades, and we will continue to allocate an increasing share of our resources toward supporting our customers in the region."
Dana serves more than 100 customers in China including Beijing Jeep Corporation, BMW, Daimler, Dongfeng Motor, Ford, Jinbei, SAIC, Sany, SGM, Southeast Motor Corporation, Toyota, VW Group, XCMG, XGMA, and Zoomlion.
The Dana China Technical Center – the company's 15th advanced engineering facility around the world – is devoted to the research, design, development, and testing of drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management products.
Fully integrated into Dana's global research and development system, the Dana China Technical Center has been equipped to support new products from concept development through launch, as well as to adapt technologies developed elsewhere in the world for the specific needs of the China market.
Currently home to more than 50 engineers, the engineering staff at the Dana China Technical Center will increase to a total of 130 by 2016 to facilitate the delivery of new product offerings for China and the rest of the region.
Most of the engineering activities at the center are currently focused on Dana's growing off-highway portfolio for the region. The company will take a balanced, strategic approach that leverages this engineering expertise to grow business across all market segments.
"For more than 20 years, Dana has been building a reputation in China as the Tier One partner that OEMs can trust for the timely delivery of dependable powertrain solutions," said George Constand, Dana's chief technical and quality officer. "Our research and development center in Wuxi is the latest example of our commitment to better align with the unique technological and market requirements of our customers in the region."
The new test lab in Wuxi is outfitted with the latest testing equipment for axles, transmissions, materials, NVH, prototyping, inspections, and machining to ensure that products engineered and manufactured by Dana in China meet the company's high standards for performance and durability. The off-highway test equipment includes an axle dynamometer, three beam fatigue testers, a reverse torsional fatigue tester, a static torsional strength tester, and a 7.5 KW spin rig.
Dana demonstrated the value of local engineering and OEM support in the development of the Spicer® Rui Ma™ brand of off-highway transmissions and axles launched at Bauma China last year. A quality complement to Dana's flagship Spicer brand of technologically advanced drivetrain solutions, Spicer Rui Ma drivetrain solutions provide an optimized blend of product features, performance, dependability, and cost demanded by purchasers of the majority of construction and other off-highway vehicles manufactured in China today.
The Dana China Technical Center joins the company's growing network of manufacturing, engineering, sales support, and aftermarket parts and service teams in China, as well as Dana's global product service and support resources. Dana currently has 10 facilities in China that employ more than 8,000 people, including those operations in which Dana holds a minority interest.
In 2012, Dana announced the opening of a new aftermarket distribution center in Wuxi to increase product availability, improve delivery times, and provide additional support to its growing number of aftermarket customers.
Dana also recently began producing five medium- and large-sized Spicer mining axle models at the company's facility in Wuxi as part of an effort to increase output for growing demand in the mining market.
In 2011, Dana purchased an increased stake in Dongfeng Dana Axle Co., Ltd. (DDAC), a China-based commercial-vehicle axle joint venture headquartered in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, to 50 percent. Through this agreement, DDAC has become Dana's largest overseas axle manufacturing base.
Originally formed in 2005, DDAC is the primary supplier of truck axles to Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. DDAC currently offers a complete range of truck axles in the Chinese market, including drive, steer, tandem, and hub-reduction axles for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks, as well as buses.
About Dana Holding Corporation
Dana is a world-leading supplier of driveline, sealing, and thermal-management technologies that improve the efficiency and performance of passenger, commercial, and off-highway vehicles with both conventional and alternative-energy powertrains. The company's global network of engineering, manufacturing, and distribution facilities provides original-equipment and aftermarket customers with local product and service support. Based in Maumee, Ohio, Dana employs more than 23,000 people in 26 countries and reported 2012 sales of $7.2 billion. For more information, please visit www.dana.com.
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