Sweden-based automotive safety products manufacturer Autoliv has begun construction of a factory to make seat belts in Nanjing, replacing an existing plant in the capital of Jiangsu province. The first phase of the new US$10m plant will be around 66,000 sq metres, about 50 per cent larger than the current facility.

The existing plant makes seat belts for major vehicle companies in China including Shanghai Volkswagen, Shanghai General Motors, Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen, Chery, Geely and SAIC. Autoliv currently has 800 employees in Nanjing, and it will add 200 when the new plant is completed. The company has 10 facilities across China that provide work for 5,500 people.