Despite the ongoing difficult situation in the global automotive markets due to the coronavirus pandemic, MAHLE posted record sales in China for the 2020 business year. Adjusted for negative exchange rate effects, the Stuttgart-based automotive supplier’s business in China grew by almost 4 percent compared with the previous year to EUR 1,303 million.
The Thermal Management business unit proved the Group’s strongest segment in terms of sales, accounting for some EUR 370 million, or almost 30 percent of total sales. The Filtration and Engine Peripherals business line developed especially positively, increasing its sales by around 10 percent to some EUR 335 million. The Electronics and Mechatronics business unit, newly established in early 2020, got off to a successful start: it contributed to MAHLE’s strong overall performance in China to the tune of approximately EUR 170 million in sales. The Group will showcase about 150 innovations and product solutions at the Auto Shanghai automotive show, which will be held as an in-person event from April 21 to 28, 2021. Around two-thirds of these exhibits will come from the alternative drives and thermal management fields of technology.
“China is one of our most important and promising markets. The fact that we were able to conclude the year with record sales there, in spite of the pandemic, is strong evidence of our attractive product portfolio as well as our company’s resilience and robustness,” says Michael Frick, chairman of the Management Board (ad interim) and Member of the Management Board Finance at MAHLE.
Product highlights for the Asian market
By exhibiting at Auto Shanghai 2021, MAHLE is confirming the importance of the Chinese market for the Group’s activities. “We are particularly pleased that we can present our product solutions this year at the most important trade fair for the automotive industry in Asia and hold face-to-face discussions with existing and potential customers once again,” says Kun Hu, General Manager at MAHLE in China. Among other exhibits, MAHLE will showcase the latest generation of high-voltage PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heaters. An innovative method of integrating the electronics makes these heating elements more compact, lighter, and cheaper. Combined with a heat pump, the cruising ranges of electric vehicles can thus be extended by up to 20 percent and more when temperatures are around freezing.
The electric compressor from MAHLE is another product highlight. As the beating heart of the air conditioning and refrigerant circuit, it controls the temperature in the cabin, but most importantly, it is responsible for the air conditioning of the battery in electric vehicles. Keeping the battery at the right temperature makes a crucial impact on its service life and charging speed as well as on the cruising range of the vehicle. At the same time, the e-compressor allows fast charging of the battery when the vehicle is stationary. This rapid charging capability is making a substantial contribution to e-mobility’s widespread acceptance by consumers.
