Shengrui Transmission Corp marked a major milestone recently with the production of its 100,000th 8AT unit, a type of automatic transmission.

Shengrui, the developer of the first front-engine, front-drive 8AT, assembled the 100,000th 8AT unit to be produced in the Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in November. The company created this form of 8AT in China in 2006.

"Our 100,000th 8AT marked a new chapter in China's 8AT production," said Wei Yanchao, director of Shengrui's general management office. "We will move toward our new concept and new target, and develop a new Shengrui to support China's automatic transmission development."

The company has set a goal to produce one million transmissions a year by 2020.

Shengrui is a key high-tech company in China, which has focused on automatic transmissions and heavy-duty diesel engine parts over the past decade.

The company has set up research and development centers in Germany and the United Kingdom, using global intelligence to support its long-term growth.

Shengrui has established partnerships with many automotive developers. For example, the 8AT has been equipped on many Landwind-branded vehicles. More vehicles will be equipped with Shengrui's 8AT over the next two years, Wei said.

"We are actively expanding in our foreign markets. We have reached agreements with India's Tata Group," Wei said.

The company has long been committed to developing a transmission production industrial cluster in Weifang's high-tech zone.

Shengrui's automotive transmission industrial park, which started construction in May last year, is mostly completed, allowing companies to begin settling in. Six companies have signed agreements to launch production bases in the zone. Among these, one company has already started production in the park, according to Wei.

"Because of our plan to increase our production capacities to one million units a year by 2020, we welcome more transmission parts suppliers to move into our park," Wei said. "Many companies have contacted us and we are assessing our future partners."

Shengrui was capable of supplying 150,000 transmissions in 2016. It will boost its production capacity to 250,000 units in 2017.

zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn

A technician at Shengrui Transmission Corp assembles 8AT units on the company's production line. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

(China Daily 01/09/2017 page12)