voestalpine opens new plant for high-strength automotive components in China

The voestalpine Group currently generates around 32% of its revenue (BY 2014/15) in the automotive industry which is regarded globally as a long-term growth sector. Against this background, for several years the Group has been deliberately expanding its capacity in this sector, also outside Europe. As well as the additional plant in China, further significant investment is also currently being made in phase 2 and 3 of construction at the production site for ultra-high strength body-in-white parts in Cartersville, USA, which opened last year.

The most recent site belonging to the voestalpine Stamptec Group, part of the Group’s Metal Forming Division, was built on a surface area of almost 10,000 m2 in Northeast China. An expansion concept, which was part of the basic planning, will enable additional production areas of over 15,000 m2 to be made available at any time in future. The plant currently employs a staff of 70, and this should grow to over 500 employees in the coming years as the site is continually extended. At the heart of the plant in Shenyang is the phs-ultraform® technology developed by the Group, for which the company was awarded the Austrian National Award for Innovation in 2015. phs-ultraform® stands for press-hardened steel components made of hot-dip galvanized steel strip, and combines lightweight design, corrosion protection, and increased automotive safety to an extent hitherto unknown.

In China, the voestalpine Group most recently generated revenue of over EUR 300 million at a total of 26 sites with more than 2,200 employees, including its joint ventures.

The Metal Forming Division of voestalpine AG achieved a total sales volume during 2014/15 of EUR 2.3 billion and an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 331 million. The division employs roughly 10,500 staff members and does business with almost all European car manufacturers. Within the Group, it constitutes the center of competence for highly refined sections, tubes, and precision steel strip products as well as ready-to-install components made of pressed, stamped, and roll-formed parts in steel and in aluminium, with a focus on the automotive industry. Its combination of material expertise and processing competence is unparalleled throughout the industry, and its global presence makes the division preferred partner to customers who are looking for innovativeness and quality.