IAC opens new facility in Chongqing

IAC Chongqing is the company’s first wholly-owned facility in the country since it began operations there more than six years ago. The new operation marks the company’s second manufacturing location in Chongqing, but will consolidate both locations, growing the total number of IAC manufacturing facilities in Asia to 17, supported by six technical and engineering centres. The new facility supplies both the Ford Kuga and Mondeo door panel and floor console assemblies, along with instrument panels, cockpits modules, finish trim panels, and ducts for the Mondeo. Additionally, IAC Chongqing supplies door panel assemblies, glove boxes, and instrument panels for the Volvo S80L and will begin manufacturing instrument panel trim components for a new Suzuki model later this year. The 10,400 m² plant employs approximately 275 people. The Chongqing facility is the first in Asia to introduce FastKast, IAC’s proprietary A-surface material manufacturing process incorporating polyvinyl chloride resins and thermoplastic polyurethanes or thermoplastic polyolefins. Late last year, this slush moulding process debuted in support of Ford business at IAC’s manufacturing site in Bals, Romania. Additional capabilities in Chongqing include seamless airbag scoring, foaming, roll-coating, lamination, various welding techniques, punch trimming, vacuum forming, and cut and sew. The facility is also equipped with a full test lab capable of airbag deployment validation testing, material and environmental testing, and precision Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) data collection.