Rockwell Forms Chinese Joint Venture for Car Parts

Rockwell International Corp. said Friday that it has formed a joint venture in China to make automotive parts, signaling the company’s move into the emerging car market there. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“This joint venture reflects Rockwell’s overall strategy for investment in China, where there is a huge potential for passenger car growth,” Donald R. Beall, Rockwell’s chairman, said in a statement.

One of the Seal Beach company’s automotive divisions in Troy, Mich., formed the joint venture with Zhenjiang General Equipment Factory to manufacture window regulators, door latches, hand brakes and other car products.

Rockwell is the majority partner in the venture, called Rockwell Body and Chassis Systems Zhenjiang Co., and will provide technology, management, equipment and capital. The new company’s customers will include Peugeot Group, which already operates production facilities in China, Rockwell said.

Zhenjiang Factory now operates a plant about 200 miles from Shanghai.

Rockwell, which opened an office in Beijing in 1985, is active in a number of Chinese markets. Rockwell’s commercial avionics unit is a major supplier to China’s civil aviation industry. Rockwell also supplies printing presses to China’s newspaper publishers.