TRW Group (China)  FY2011

Business Highlights

Financial overview

- The TRW Group's net sales were $16.2 billion, which represents an increase of 13% from the prior year. In 2011, approximately  10%  of sales originated in  China, which comprised approximately 10% of total sales. Production levels in fast growing regions, primarily China, were higher in 2011 as compared to 2010 due to stronger consumer demand. During 2011, production growth rates in China moderated due to government actions to slow the pace of expansion and curb inflation.(From the Company's 2011 annual report) 

- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. announced the company will open or expand its plants in 2011 and 2012. TRW announced investments in driver assist systems (DAS) technology in Brest, France and in Peterlee, the UK; steering in China, Poland and the UK; and advanced braking systems in Koblenz, Germany. At the same time, the company unveiled plans for the following new plants: an occupant safety systems and braking facility in Wuhan, Hubei province, China; an aftermarket friction plant in Qingdao, Shandong province, China; and a slip control systems and actuation plant in Queretaro, Mexico. In addition to the new facilities, TRW is expanding production of electric power steering in Poland at a new satellite facility in Czechowice, and is increasing the manufacturing of precision motors in Slovakia. It will also expand its electrically powered steering and electronics plant in Anting, Shanghai, China; its braking joint venture in Nanjing, Jiangsu province China; its occupant safety joint venture in Chengdu, Sichuan province; and its fasteners plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. (From a press release on September 13, 2011)

- Sales at Shanghai TRW Automotive Safety Systems Co., Ltd. reached a record high 1,341 million yuan in 2011, which is an increase of 8.2 percent year-on-year. Shanghai TRW Automotive Safety Systems Co., Ltd. produced 2,238 thousand airbags, with an increase of 8.5% and 7,223.4 thousand seatbelts, with an increase of 11.8%. (From the Company's news)

- TRW Automotive announced that it is planning to establish five more plants in China, aiming to double its China sales to over 2 billion US dollars by the end of 2012. (From a press release, April 22, 2011)

<Highlights by product>

Airbags, seatbelts

- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Great Wall Motors. Under the agreement, on the basis of the existing purchase of the airbag controllers, anti-lock braking systems and other supporting products, both sides will upgrade to cooperative research and development of the active and passive safety technologies. The cooperation between Great Wall Motors and the TRW began in 2008. Initially, TRW provided Great Wall Motors' Ling Ao model with the supporting air conditioning vent. Since 2009, TRW has equipped Haval SUV, Voleex C30 and other models with the airbag controller, the rear brake caliper and other safety products. Currently the companies have jointly developed the electric power steering system with more fuel economy. Moreover, in the research and development of the engine valve, rear brake caliper and other parts, the two sides have entered into the prototype development stage. (From a press release on September 27, 2011)

<Brake products>

Expanding local production of EPBs 
- At the International Motor Show held in Shanghai in 2011, TRW Automotive announced its intention to expand production of electric parking brakes (EPBs) in China. Since 2007, when the company started making EPB calipers in China, it has supplied more than 2 million units to Chinese customers. Recently is has won new program businesses from two Chinese automakers. Delivery of the products is scheduled to begin in 2012. (From a press release, April 20, 2011)

<Steering systems>

Contracts for EPSs
- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. announced it has secured several contracts for the supply of electric power steering (EPS) to domestic Chinese vehicle manufacturers, with the first launch scheduled in 2012. TRW will supply its Column Drive EPS system for platforms with four domestic manufacturers initially. Production will be located at TRW's manufacturing facility in Anting, China, which will start production this year with an annual capacity in the range of 450,000 units initially. In the next two years, the company will add local production capabilities not only for EPS, but also for other advanced technologies such as airbag inflators and electronic stability control. (From a press release on January 10, 2011)

R&D

R&D facility

- The group's development center in Asia Pacific

Company Name Year Established Overview
TRW Automotive Research & Development (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. July 2004 - Providing technical support to the Group's plants and customers in the Asia Pacific region.

- Conducting winter road testing at its specialized facility in Heihe, Heilongjiang Province.


- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. has announced plans to open a new Technical Center in China in 2013. The 32,000 square meter facility will be built in Anting, Shanghai and will be able to accommodate more than 1,000 engineers. The new Technical Center will house research and development, engineering design and application, testing and validation activities across all of TRW's product lines. It is planned that construction of the site will commence in autumn of 2011, and will be ready for operations in 2013. (From a press release on April 19, 2011)

- The new China tech center is on pace to become one of TRW's largest facilities worldwide. Housing research and development, engineering design and application, testing and validation across all of TRW’s product lines, this is one of the many ways the Company is preparing to support China’s tremendous growth.(Fom the Company's annual report)

Investment Activities

- TRW Automotive announced that it is planning to establish five more plants in China, aiming to double its China sales to over 2 billion US dollars by the end of 2012. (From a press release, April 22, 2011)   

- The TRW Group (China) and the Qingdao High-tech Development Zone have signed a letter of intent regarding TRW's 20 million US dollar project to establish an automotive security system plant at the industrial park. Its construction work is scheduled to begin in April 2011. TRW is expecting to generate 25 million US dollars at the new plant when it is fully operated. (From news releases issued by multiple sources on February 21, 2011)