German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen is planning to build a new transmission plant in Tianjin, China in order to expand its production network in the region.
Production is expected to start by the end of 2014 at the new plant, which has an annual production capacity of 450,000 transmission units.
Volkswagen is planning to invest EUR230m in the first stage of the plant construction.
Volkswagen China operations head Jochem Heizmann said, "Volkswagen is basing construction of the Tianjin plant on highest technical standards and focuses on the resource efficiency and environmental compatibility of production plant and methods."
The carmaker is also planning to set up a competence center for tooling technology in Tianjin under a project that also includes the introduction of a dual vocational training program modeled on the German system.
In 2011, Volkswagen had delivered 2.26 million vehicles to customers in the country, while deliveries in the first seven months of the year rose by 17.1% to 1.51 million units.
