MAHLE opens new Tech Center in Brazil

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Stuttgart, June 26, 2008 – The MAHLE Group, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, opens today a highly modern new Tech Center in Jundiaí (near São Paulo) in Brazil. The newly built complex for research and development houses laboratories and test cells on a constructed area of 16.800 m2.

As early as 1978, MAHLE started operating a Tech Center in Santo Amaro near São Paulo which was initially dedicated to pistons and bearings technology. In the course of the years, ever more activities for piston rings, filters, valve train products, and the MAHLE development services were added. As the capacities on the existing ground were no longer sufficient, a completely new Tech Center was established where existing as well as new activities are integrated.

During planning, construction, and operation of the new building, severe environmental restrictions were followed as the area is situated in the environmentally protected zone of the Japi mountains. The architecture ideally combines advanced technol-ogy and environmental friendliness. The building is defined in several rings instead of floor levels and therefore accords harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. Thus, all laboratory installations could be located in bottom floors.

The Tech Center provides for the MAHLE Group the complete research and development as well as engineering and sales departments for South America. Customers are local and international vehicle and engine manufacturers. Approximately 260 employees work in the Tech Center, mainly engineers, researchers, and qualified technicians.

Prof. Dr. Heinz K. Junker, Chairman of the Management Board of the MAHLE Group, inaugurates the new Tech Center today at the beginning of a MAHLE management meeting together with representatives from local politics and Brazilian MAHLE custom-ers. “This new Tech Center gives us the possibility to offer even better service to the fast growing automotive industry in South America than before”, states Junker. “Above all, we are able to grant a maximum of confidentiality for the customer projects due to excellent access and security systems.”

The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest companies in the automotive supply industry worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of components and systems for the combustion engine and related products, MAHLE ranks among the top 3 systems suppliers for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems. MAHLE employs around 48,000 people at 110 production plants and seven research and development centers. In 2007, MAHLE achieved sales of over EUR 5 billion (USD 7.5 billion).



Further queries:
MAHLE GmbH
Birgit Albrecht
Corporate Communications/Public Relations
Pragstrasse 26–46
D-70376 Stuttgart
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 711/501-12506
Fax: +49 (0) 711/501-13700
birgit.albrecht@mahle.com