UPDATE: MAHLE plans expansion of North American powertrain operations

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Aug 22, 2016, 09:54 ET

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Aug. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MAHLE Powertrain is opening new North American facility in Plymouth, Michigan/USA later this year as a part of a USD16 million North American expansion that will create new jobs and accelerate a variety of advanced engine-development programs.

MAHLE Powertrain will enhance its current engine and vehicle testing capability with a 45,000-square-foot building at 14900 Galleon Court in Plymouth, recently acquired from Westport Fuel Systems. The official opening of the new facility is expected to take place in early November.

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MAHLE Powertrain is one of the world's leading engineering services companies. The North American powertrain operation currently employs more than 40 people and expects to add up to 20 new powertrain engineering positions over the next several years.

The new Plymouth location is equipped with a four-wheel-drive chassis dynamometer, seven vehicle lifts, five powertrain test cells and a wiring-and-instrumentation laboratory. Further expansion plans call for two additional powertrain test cells, upgrades to engine and vehicle test beds to meet regulatory requirements for certification, and additional equipment to support hybrid-electric vehicle testing.

"Our new Plymouth location will be one of the most technically advanced engine-development facilities in North America," says Hugh Blaxill, managing director of MAHLE Powertrain, LLC. "The new facility is designed to support a wide range of advanced engine-development activities, including MAHLE's Jet Ignition program."

Blaxill adds that the move also will enable MAHLE to provide additional customer support in advanced engine testing for gasoline, diesel, hybrid, propane and natural gas powertrains.

About MAHLE
MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry. With its products for combustion engines and their peripherals as well as solutions for electric vehicles, the group addresses all the crucial issues related to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—from engine systems and components to filtration to thermal management. MAHLE products are fitted in at least every second vehicle worldwide. MAHLE components and systems are also used off the road—in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, rail transport, as well as aerospace and marine applications.

In 2015, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 11.5 billion with around 76,000 employees and is represented in 34 countries with over 170 production locations. At 15 major development locations in Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Slovenia, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, and India, about 6,000 development engineers and technicians are working on innovative solutions for the mobility of the future.

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