Lear Adds Four Factories in China

Seating and electrical systems specialist Lear Corp. tells AutoBeat Asia it will add four plants and expand five others in China over the next two years to pace the country's growing automotive market.

Jay Kunkel, who heads operations for Lear in Asia Pacific, tells ABA the company has grown 24% annually in China over the past three years. The Michigan-based company also owns 11 plants in India.

Lear already operates 38 factories and four technical centers in China. Earlier this year it opened an Asian headquarters and a new product and technology center in Shanghai.

Kunkel says Lear plans to open a technical center in China next year that will be devoted to products for new-energy vehicles.