Nexteer to establish Asia-Pacific headquarters, R&D center, smart manufacturing hub in Suzhou

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 5, Nexteer Automotive ("Nexteer") recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee, to establish Nexteer's Asia-Pacific headquarters, along with a R&D center and a smart manufacturing base in Suzhou, according to a press release issued by Nexteer.

Under the MoU, Nexteer will acquire a 10-hectare site in Suzhou to build a state-of-the-art smart manufacturing facility with a floor area of roughly 70,000 square meters. Once completed, the company will relocate operations currently housed in Suzhou's rented premises to its own purpose-built campus.

According to Nexteer, the new plant will be designed around "smart and green" principles, combining advanced infrastructure with digitalized production lines. The facility is expected to accelerate the company's transition toward digital and sustainable manufacturing while significantly boosting capacity for its advanced motion control systems, including electric power steering and steer-by-wire technologies that align with major mobility trends.

Since launching operations in Suzhou in 2007, Nexteer has steadily expanded its local footprint, from manufacturing plants to its Asia-Pacific technical center, and now a new regional headquarters.

Jun Li, Nexteer's global vice president and president of Asia-Pacific, described the signing as a milestone in the company's growth strategy across China and the broader Asia-Pacific region. He highlighted the Suzhou and the wider Yangtze River Delta region's rich resources, skilled workforce, and mature supply chains as key enablers for Nexteer's expansion. He added that the company would continue to integrate local innovation with its global network, to deliver advanced steering and motion control solutions to both overseas and domestic customers at "Chinese speed".

It is worth noting that the Suzhou project follows a series of recent investments aimed at strengthening Nexteer's global and local capabilities.

For instance, in January this year, Nexteer opened a new smart manufacturing plant and testing facility in Changshu, reinforcing its market position in China and aligning with the country's push for "new quality productive forces".

Then in July, Nexteer broke ground on another smart factory in Liuzhou, designed to expand support for automakers in China and abroad. The facility is expected to begin full operations in 2026.

Beyond China, Nexteer has also started expanding its technical center in Querétaro, Mexico, which is slated for completion by the fourth quarter of 2025. At the same time, the company is modernizing its Saginaw, Michigan plant through facility consolidation, real estate optimization, and operational upgrades.