Yichang, Hubei – Canadian foamer Woodbridge plans to build a 400,000 unit/year polyurethane auto seat project in Yichang, Hubei.
Located at Yichang’s Xiaoting Auto Park, the project leases existing buildings, which will be equipped from mid-2019. The scheduled start-up date is in September, the company told UTECH-polyurethane.com.
The project is expected to create about 230 jobs and cost CNY 50m ($7m). When it is fully operational, it should generate CNY 70m annual revenue, according to information in its environmental impact report. Woodbridge (Yichang) Auto Parts is a fully owned subsidiary the company's Chinese holding company that was formed in 2018.
The site's customer will be Chinese auto maker GAC Group in Guangzhou.
Woodbridge has been developing a greater presence in China, and formed a joint venture with Chinese auto seat maker Yanfeng in December 2018.
The new company, Yanfeng Woodbridge Lightweight Composites, currently makes expanded polypropylene and other bead foam products.
‘This collaboration will largely promote the application of lightweight materials in the market, which will make contribution to lightweight development of Chinese automotive market,’ said Yanfeng's deputy manager Wang Weizhong in a Woodbridge announcement.
In addition, the joint venture has previously announced a manufacturing facility in Changzhou, Jiangsu. This is slated to come on stream in mid-2019.
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