Aptiv, a leader in the automotive parts industry, aims to grow its business in China by 50 percent over the next five years, mostly driven by the rising demand from the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector.
In the fiscal year of 2023, Aptiv's sales in China grew by 12 percent, with the Asia-Pacific region, including China, contributing 28 percent to the company's global net sales.
Xu Xiaoying, operation director of connection systems Asia and plant manager of Aptiv, said the company is accelerating its localization strategy in China, aiming for 50 percent growth in its business in China within five years. The company has accelerated its partnerships with Chinese brands, planning to make this category 70 percent of its overall operations.
As China's automotive industry shifts rapidly towards safety, environmental sustainability, and connectivity, Aptiv is expanding its presence in the NEV sector. The company is building a high-voltage connector factory to develop business for NEVs.
The company has established its largest global connector manufacturing and R&D base in Shanghai at Aptiv Central Electric (Shanghai) Co. The facility is the world's second-largest supplier of automotive connectors.
Aptiv is pioneering an intelligent factory for automotive connectors, leveraging artificial intelligence and human-machine collaborative manufacturing.
By developing and designing core equipment, high-precision molds, and intelligent scheduling systems, the company has automated assembly operations, introduced unmanned injection molding, implemented intelligent three-dimensional warehousing, and optimized in-plant logistics.
Empowered by big data, Aptiv has created a digital full-chain traceability system that spans the entire product life cycle—from design and R&D to material input, production, quality inspection, and logistics. These innovations have enhanced product development cycles by 26 percent and cut operating costs by 30 percent.