(2014/11/14):Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale/Monterrey  Preh de México S.A. de C.V. has completed the large-scale expansion of its production facilities in Monterrey. The new extension of the Kalos plant began operating on November 20. The Kalos site has thus grown by 5,000 sqm to a total area of 13,300 sqm. The plant opened in August 2011 with an area of 8,300 sqm. Together with its sister plant, Avante, which spans an area of 7,500 sqm, Preh de México now has a total of 20,800 sqm of production space in Monterrey. Preh entered the North American market just nine years ago, in late 2005. Whereas it employed only 30 people when production commenced in 2005, its workforce is now 670, generating sales in excess of $140 million. The opening ceremony for the extended Kalos plant was attended by Governor of the Mexican state Nuevo Leon Mr. Rodrigo Medina de la Cruzbeside the Preh managers from Germany  and  Mexico also representatives from the state of Nuevo Leonthe city of GuadaloupeMonterrey.

Preh's production crews in Monterrey make car HMI (human-machine interface) systems, primarily for the North American marketmainly for Ford, General Motors, BMWVW. Its manufacturing skills include plastic injection moldingsurface technology at the Avante plant as well as SMD (surface-mounted device) assembly, final assembly  and  testing at the Kalos plant.

Preh has chalked up impressive growth in the NAFTA area since it entered the market just under a decade ago. For instance, the German auto parts supplier based in Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale has managed to become the market leader in the key climate-control systems segment in the US.

Preh Group PresidentCEO Dr. Michael Roesnick says of the expansion of the Kalos plant: "We have reason to be proud of what we have achieved. Our team in Monterrey has delivered first-rate performance at both locations in a short space of time, thus enabling us to grow in the US. Both plants represent outstanding quality, competitive cost structuresa very committed workforce. I am extremely grateful to both the management of Preh de México as well as all our employees. Together with our Chinese partner, Joyson, we have become a global player in the automotive electronics segmenthave every reason to be optimistic for the prospects of all Preh locations."

The Ningbo, China-based Joyson Group has bundled its auto-related operations into the listed company Joyson Electronics (600699: Shanghai), which has two divisions: Automotive Electronics (Preh)Automotive Components (Joyson). Auto parts supplier Joyson was founded in 2004, while Preh - which was founded way back in 1919 - can look back on almost a century of corporate activity. Joyson became the majority shareholder in Preh in 2011. Since the end of 2012, Preh has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Joyson Electronics.

Preh is a globally-oriented automotive electronics supplier, currently employing about 4,000 people in Germany, Portugal, Romania, Mexico, the USChina. Its headquarters are located in Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale, Germany. Preh specializes primarily in the developmentproduction of car HMI systems, e-mobility, commercial vehiclesautomation solutions.