LUDWIGSBURG, Germany — MANN+HUMMEL announced this week that it has taken over the Korean Dongwoo company. Dongwoo is a market leader in the field of automotive filters in Korea and a former joint venture of the international MANN+HUMMEL Group.

The fair trade commission in Korea approved the 100 percent acquisition, and the new Korean subsidiary will be called MANN+HUMMEL Dongwoo. The company said this acquisition represents a milestone in the group’s business activities and customer relationships in Korea.

MANN+HUMMEL Dongwoo produces and distributes oil filters, oil modules, fuel filters, air filters, air cleaners and transmission oil filters for passenger cars and trucks. In 2007, the company generated roughly $125 million.

The company will be run under the management of Claude Mathieu. Mathieu served as the CEO of MANN+HUMMEL USA and chairman of MANN+HUMMEL Mexico for six years. He led MANN+HUMMEL to exceptional growth in NAFTA, according to the company.

"Korea is one of our key markets in Asia, where our strategic target is to be among the top five suppliers," said Mathieu. "With MANN+HUMMEL Dongwoo, we will pursue the aim of gaining direct access to national customers and generating additional Korean key customer sales in China, India, the U.S. and Eastern Europe."

In 2007, Korean brands realized a three percent increase in the U.S., the world’s biggest sales market for vehicles. Approximately 96 percent of South Korean vehicles originate from domestic production. More than 70 percent of the vehicles produced in South Korea are made for export and local OEMs. will continue to strengthen their impact on Eastern Europe, Asia and the U.S. over the coming years.

"MANN+HUMMEL strongly wishes to participate in this business," emphasized Mathieu.

Claude Mathieu also is a member of the board of the first Korean MANN+HUMMEL company MANN+HUMMEL Korea Ltd., founded in 2006 to build up production for future products for GM Daewoo. The company also does its own research and development for intake manifolds and air cleaners for Korean customers.

For more information about MANN+HUMMEL, visit: http://www.mann-hummel.com.