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  5. Kiekert AG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Kiekert AG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Recent Years

Financial Overview

-In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, the Company generated sales of approximately EUR 830 million.

Joint Ventures

-The company announced that it opens new joint-venture facility to produce door-closure systems in South Korea with KwangJin Sanggong Company Ltd. Located in Hwaseong-si in the province of Gyeonggi-do, the new facility operated by KKL Ltd. (KwangJinKiekert Latch) will have 120 employees and the capacity to produce door-closure systems for a major South Korean auto manufacturer. Kiekert and KwangJin Sanggong each hold a 50 percent share in the new company. (From a press release on February 20, 2017)

R&D Structure

-The Company has approximately 450 engineers working in research and development.

R&D Facilities

-The Company has seven research and development centers in the following locations:

  • Wixom, Michigan, U.S.
  • Puebla, Mexico
  • Heiligenhaus, Germany
  • Prelouc, Czech Republic
  • Changshu, China
  • Seoul, South Korea
  • Lamone, Switzerland


-At the end of 2017, a new development site was established in Lamone, Switzerland, specializing in electronic concepts and corresponding automotive product solutions.

Product Development

Redesigned charging-plug actuator
-The Company announced that it has redesigned its charging-plug actuator to improve the safety and security of charging electric cars. The Company plans to begin production of the new charging-plug actuator at the end of 2019. The new compact and robust actuator features innovative drive technology. The higher gear ratio inside the extremely small package results in increased locking force relative to conventional gearing. The robust configuration and improved sensors ensure more precise detection of the locking pin for greater system safety. The system can be unlocked using the vehicle key or a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. In the event of a power outage, the charging plug can be unlocked through a mechanical emergency release in the form of a button or lever inside the vehicle. (From a press release on March 20, 2018)

Patents

-As of December 31, 2018, the Company has more than 2,500 patents.

Investments outside Germany

<U.S.>
-The Company announced that it is moving its manufacturing operations to a new 41,000 square-foot facility in Wixom, Michigan. The relocation is part of a USD 3 million expansion designed to double the Company's production capacity in the U.S. Production of latch modules at the new facility is expected to exceed one million units in 2018 compared to 350,000 latch modules produced in 2013. The Company will add 30 new jobs at the new location to support the expansion. The Company's existing R&D facility in Wixom at Liberty Drive will continue to lead engineering and program management activities for the NAFTA region. (From a press release on May 8, 2018)