Plastic Omnium opens China technical center

French supplier Plastic Omnium Co opened a technology center for its exterior parts division this month in Anting, a suburb of Shanghai, to support business growth in China.

The center employs 300 engineers and technicians, the company said in a statement. By 2016, the facility's staff will rise to 450.

Plastic Omnium this year has launched 35 new exterior parts development projects for 18 customers in China.

Plastic Omnium says its Chinese product launches will rise to 50 by 2015. Customers include Volkswagen Group, General Motors, BMW Group, Peugeot S.A., Jaguar Land Rover, China FAW Group Corp and SAIC Motor Corp.

In China, Plastic Omnium now operates 13 factories that produce exterior parts in a joint venture with Yanfeng-SAIC, a subsidiary of SAIC.

The company also has five wholly owned plants, of which three make composite parts and two produce fuel tanks and fuel systems.

Altogether, the plants generate revenue of more than 500 million euros ($688 million yuan) a year, according to Plastic Omnium.