Lear Corp., a global supplier of automotive seating and electrical systems and one of the world’s largest providers of premium automotive leather, recently signed an investment agreement with the Administrative Commission of Yangzhou Economic & Technological Development Zone to construct a state-of-the art premium leather processing plant in Yangzhou, China.

“With 81 locations across Asia, including 47 in China, Lear’s Asia-Pacific operations continue to grow due to the efforts of more than 20,000 employees who deliver excellence in design and finished products to the automotive industry. Over the past three years, Lear’s total sales in China have grown at an average annual rate of 17 percent,” said Jay Kunkel, senior vice president and president, Asia-Pacific operations. “We would like to thank the Yangzhou Economic & Technological Development Zone for their support, as well as our employees for their continuing dedication to making Lear the world’s leading supplier of premium automotive leather.”

The new plant, comprised of a 32,000-square-meter (344,445.1-square-feet) facility on 56,700 square meters (610313.7-square-feet) of land, will support Lear’s rapid sales growth and new business development in China. The plant will have approximately 300 employees in 2018 and will expand to approximately 700 employees when running at its designed capacity. The company has 28,000 square meters of adjacent land reserved for future expansion.

“As the most vertically integrated automotive seating supplier in the world, Lear is pleased to build upon its global capabilities and expand its significant presence in China to better serve our customers in the region,” said Ray Scott, executive vice president and president, seating. “Our Eagle Ottawa premium leather team is integral to providing our customers with highly crafted surface materials and complete seating systems.”