ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Affinia Group Inc., a global leader in the on and off highway replacement products and service industry, announced today that it has begun production at its recently completed WIX-Filtron manufacturing and distribution facility in Krasilov, Ukraine. The new 65,000-square-foot facility is the company's second operation in Eastern Europe, joining Affinia WIX-Filtron manufacturing and distribution plant in Poland. WIX-Filtron is an Affinia company and part of Affinia's Under Hood Group.
With the expansion of its global operations into the Ukraine, Affinia is positioned to enhance its service to customers in Eastern Europe and Russia. In this region, demand for air, oil and fuel filter applications represents a significant market opportunity for Affinia. The Ukraine facility will manufacture and distribute filtration products to this growing customer base.
Keith Wilson, President of Affinia's Under Hood Group noted, "We chose to locate our newest facility in the Ukraine because the country has an excellent workforce and it is a strategic location from which to sell to Eastern Europe and Russia, two high-potential markets. The experience gained from expanding our WIX-Filtron manufacturing in Poland gave us a great advantage when we were building the new facility in the Ukraine. We are very pleased that we were able to get the Ukraine facility up and running so quickly."
"Our new Ukraine manufacturing and distribution facility is another milestone for Affinia as we transform into a world-class global manufacturer and distributor of high quality premium and value-line products," said Terry R. McCormack, Affinia Group's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Using our long-established manufacturing expertise, the Ukrainian facility will manufacture world class filtration products for sale in Eastern Europe and Russia, and for export to North America."
Affinia Group Inc. is a global leader in the on and off highway replacement products and service industry. In North America the Affinia family of brands includes WIX(R) filters; Raybestos(R) brand brakes and AIMCO(R) brake products, and McQuay-Norris(R) and Spicer(R) Chassis parts. South American and European brands include Nakata(R), Filtron(R), Urba(R) and Quinton Hazell(R). For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com.
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