Great Wall, Kostal sign strategic partnership

Great Wall Motor Co, China's largest SUV maker, has signed a strategic agreement with German parts maker the Kostal Group.

Under the agreement, Kostal will work with Great Wall to develop traditional as well as innovative electrical and electronic parts for its vehicles, Great Wall said.

Kostal started to supply Great Wall in 2006. To date, it has supplied seat control units, door locks as well as rain and light sensors to the Chinese automaker's SUVs and sedans.

Prior to Kostal, Great Wall has signed similar strategic cooperation deals with more than ten global parts suppliers such as Robert Bosch GmbH and Delphi Automotive PLC.

Great Wall is based in Baoding in North China's Hebei province. In the first five months of the year, the company's sales of SUVs, sedans and pickups rose 34 percent to 310,917 units.