ArvinMeritor Inc. announced that it has signed a strategic partnership with Yutong Group Co. Ltd. to supply drivetrain components for buses and coaches in China.
“We are proud to partner with Yutong, the largest producer of high-end buses and coaches in the China market,” says Tim Bowes, vice president and managing director of Asia Pacific for ArvinMeritor, based in Troy, Mich. “We believe this new business will strengthen the existing partnership we have with Yutong, as well as expand ArvinMeritor’s presence in Asia.”
In addition to supplying premium nondrive and drive axles to Yutong, ArvinMeritor says it now will manufacture differential carriers and brake callipers at its facility in Wuxi, China, for application on Yutong’s axles; the final product will be assembled at Yutong’s plant in Zhenzhou, China. Production is expected to begin at the end of 2009.
“We will build the carriers and air disc brakes in our Wuxi plant utilizing local suppliers,” Bowes says. “We plan to continue to demonstrate our commitment to the China market by localizing the manufacturing of our products to meet the needs of our domestic customers.”
As part of this partnership, ArvinMeritor says it and Yutong also will sell and distribute standard aftermarket service kits for its products.
