Kongsberg Automotive has signed a new contract with Anhui Hualing Automobile Co Ltd. (CAMC) for the delivery of clutch actuation systems to their new vehicle platform for heavy trucks.

CAMC has a production capacity of 30.000 heavy-duty trucks per year, which makes the company one of the most important production bases for heavy trucks in China.

The new vehicle has been under development for 3 years and was first shown at Auto Bauma Exhibition in Shanghai, December 2008, and will be displayed at Auto China 2009 later this month. Production start is May 2009. The development of the vehicle has been in close cooperation with the Japanese Mitsubishi Fuso and Isuzu Auto Stock Company. The truck is intended for the high-end of the Chinese market for heavy trucks as well as for export to the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.

“KA has been present in China since 2004, and considers this contract as an important step to strengthen our footprint in the emerging Chinese market for commercial vehicles”, says Bård Klungseth, President of Commercial Vehicles Systems at KA. “Despite the global market downturn, China is still expected to see a relatively good growth in the domestic truck market in the long term. And as the markets become more sophisticated and environmentally aware, customers will become more demanding in terms of comfort, safety, emission standards and reliability. Our product portfolios tailor this development. Although the contract value is at the medium-low end, we believe it will open up new business opportunities and thus further increase our market share in the region”.