MTS Systems and Chery Automobile Company Celebrate The Opening of Their Joint Vehicle System Engineering Laboratory In China

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN--Jan. 9, 2014: MTS Systems Corporation , a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and position sensors, today announced the grand opening of a vehicle system engineering laboratory in collaboration with Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. in Wuhu, China. The first MTS joint laboratory with a domestic Chinese automotive OEM, the Chery-MTS lab is a center for system and full-vehicle testing applications, as well as the development of new testing technologies.

"Chery is at the forefront of innovation in automotive product development in the China market, so we are very excited to be their testing lab partner," said Bill Hardy, MTS Test Worldwide Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The opening of this joint lab is the culmination of our long relationship with Chery, demonstrating the close collaboration with our customers that continues to drive our growth."

Chery is the leading domestic automotive manufacturer in China, as well as the leading exporter of cars from China. Founded in 1997 and with capital assets valued at more than $650 million, Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. has seen unrivaled growth in recent years. This growth is seen both domestically and in their export business with a 73% year-over-year increase in 2013 export sales. "This joint lab will help MTS build upon the 26% growth we achieved globally in the automotive segment during fiscal 2013," commented Hardy.

This new lab represents a significant milestone in MTS' commitment to new product development in the automotive market globally and the China market in particular. MTS has had very long-standing relationships with leading automotive OEMs globally and is proud to bring its industry-leading technology to the newer emerging manufacturers such as Chery. As a national automotive energy-saving and environmental-protection engineering lab, this state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to establishing and furthering complete vehicle development at Chery. The lab has several advanced MTS testing systems that will enable Chery to not only use the latest testing methodologies, but explore and develop more advanced methods of vehicle design.

"In 2010, China's automotive market became the largest and fastest growing in the world. It continues to expand rapidly, with an increasing percentage of cars being produced by domestic Chinese manufacturers," said Dr. Jeffery Graves, MTS President and CEO. "The tremendous growth rates realized by Chery since its founding are indicative of the global market trends driving MTS' growth strategy. As the emerging middle class and rapidly increasing environmental regulations in China and elsewhere demand new automotive solutions, MTS is well-positioned to meet the expanding need for new-vehicle testing. We will continue to be a strong partner with our automotive customers so that they can fully participate in the next wave of growth in China."