UFI Group and Chongqing Liangjiang New Area signed the Agreement of a New Investment in Chongqing

Dear Members,

The China-Italy Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that today, Monday October 30th, UFI Group and Chongqing Liangjiang New Area signed the agreement of a new investment in Chongqing.

During the process CICC Chongqing office, together with Italian Consulate in Chongqing, supported its member UFI and Liangjiang New Area (CICC partner in the Sino-Italian industrial park) in achieving the deal. This represents the key starting point of new industrial Italian investments in Chongqing, main hub in South-West for automotive business and components.

UFI Group invests 106 million RMB to Build a New Plant in Chongqing

Today, UFI Group officially inks an investment agreement with Chongqing Liangjiang New Area and announces that construction of the new plant will begin in November. The President of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Development & Investment Group Co., Ltd. Mr. Li Jin, and UFI Group APAC COO Mr. Luca Biagini, on behalf of the Chairman, Mr. Giorgio Girondi, signs the contract.

UFI Group will invest over 106 million RMB in the Region to show their commitment to the Chinese automotive manufacturing industry. The plant will be operational by the second quarter of 2018, producing diesel filters, diesel pre-filters for heavy-duty customers and air-intake systems for passenger vehicles. Approximately 200 jobs will be created by 2020.

“Chongqing is set to become an important vehicle manufacturing Centre in China, with established infrastructure and resources in place. Having a plant here allows us to expand further strategically in China, whilst deeply supporting our clients and China automotive industry’s growth” said Luca Biagini.

According to the statistics, Chongqing has become a city of cars in China, with its 3.26 million vehicles last year, accounting for nearly 12% of China's auto production. Liangjiang New area is expected to reach 3.5 million units by 2020, which will represent 70% of Chongqing’s automotive production capacity.

Entering China in 1983, UFI Group set up Sofima Automotive Filter (Shanghai) Co., Ltd in Qingpu, in 1996 to meet the growing demands for filter products in the local market. Since then, the company has established four more facilities in China, respectively Sofima Automotive Filter Aftermarket Division (Shanghai), Sofima Automotive Filter (Changchun), UFI Filters (Shanghai), SOFIMA Industrial Filters (Shanghai),one R&D Centre, more than 2,200 staff, and produces about 154,000 filters in China every day. Every month, around 100 containers are transported to overseas markets such as Europe, North America, Japan and Australia. Many world famous automotive groups choose UFI filters made in China, including VW, GM, Hyundai, Ford, FCA, Iveco. 6 out of 7 of the major worldwide car manufacturer choose UFI Filters.

Established in Italy in 1971, UFI Group, with its two brands UFI and Sofima, is now represented in 12 countries, 4 continents and employs over 4,000 employees in more than 20 front offices. In 2016, the Group produced 68 million filters across their 14 production sites creating turnover of €415 million and confirming UFI’s double-digit sales growth achieved and maintained since 2009.