OREANDA-NEWS. Dana Holding Corporation (NYSE: DAN) today hosted a symposium to promote innovation and manufacturing excellence in China in support of the country's "Made in China 2025" initiative.  The one-day event was held at the company's technical and manufacturing campus in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, as part of a celebration of Dana's 25th anniversary in China. 

Featuring representatives from China's leading vehicle manufacturers, industry associations, research institutions, universities, and government officials, the forum included discussions on ways the industry will play a key role in supporting the "Made in China 2025" action plan announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last year.

Participants reviewed key objectives of the "Made in China 2025" initiative that will be addressed by the vehicle industry, as well as the market trends and evolving technologies that impact the achievement of innovation, sustainable development, manufacturing excellence, product quality, and human capital.

"The success of the 'Made in China 2025' plan depends on a collaborative effort that includes many key stakeholders," said Antonio Valencia, president of Dana China.  "This forum allows us to bring together diverse leaders in the industry to review the relevant provisions of this national initiative, discuss the challenges that we face in achieving goals, and demonstrate how we can work together to identify solutions and achieve success together."

Dana's presence in China dates to 1991, and today the company operates 10 facilities in China that employ nearly 7,000 people (including operations that are part of a 50-50 joint venture).  Dana manufactures axles and propeller shafts for the passenger car, light-duty truck, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway vehicle markets.  In addition, Dana produces sealing and thermal-management products in the country. 

Dana has a growing presence in Wuxi, where it first opened a manufacturing facility to produce outdoor power equipment in 2002.  Since then, the company has expanded its manufacturing capabilities to include axles for agricultural, mining, and construction equipment, as well as industrial driveshafts and powershift transmissions across numerous off-highway markets.  In addition to engine and transmission oil coolers, Dana also produces gaskets and heat shields on the campus.

In 2012, Dana launched the Spicer® Rui Ma™ brand of drivetrain solutions for construction equipment and other off-highway vehicles.  Made in Wuxi, this line of technologically advanced axles and transmissions provides an optimized blend of product features, performance, dependability, and cost.

To better support its customers, Dana inaugurated a 12,000 square-meter (129,000 square-foot) technical center in Wuxi in 2013.  The facility provides advanced product and applications engineering for original-equipment manufacturers in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway markets in China and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.  This technical center also serves as the company's global headquarters for designing axles used in mining and other heavy-duty applications.

About Dana Holding Corporation
Dana is a world leader in the supply of highly engineered drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management technologies that improve the efficiency and performance of vehicles with both conventional and alternative-energy powertrains.  Serving three primary markets – passenger vehicle, commercial truck, and off-highway equipment – Dana provides the world's original-equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket with local product and service support through a network of nearly 100 engineering, manufacturing, and distribution facilities.  Founded in 1904 and based in Maumee, Ohio, the company employs more than 23,000 people in 25 countries on six continents.  In 2015, Dana generated sales of nearly $6.1 billion.