Recaro Aircraft Seating has celebrated the completion of the third phase of development and a decade of operations at its facility in Qingdao, China. The milestone was marked with an event on October 26, 2023, with distinguished guests including customers, VIPs, suppliers, and the Recaro leadership team in attendance.

A celebration at the Qingdao facility unfolded, complete with a vibrant dragon and lion dance performance, symbolizing strength and good fortune.  The event concluded with an evening gala dinner where the Long Service Awards ceremony was held to recognize and celebrate the dedication, loyalty and hard work of the team members who have reached five to 10 years of service.

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“Reaching the 10-year milestone is an exciting accomplishment, not just for the Asia Pacific region but for overall Recaro,” said Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO. “The resilience of our colleagues in Qingdao, especially in recent years, is what sets RECARO apart. Our presence in Qingdao is a very important part of our strategy for the region and greatly contributes to the success of our global footprint.”

In parallel with the 10-year anniversary, the third and final phase of the space2grow expansion plan was also successfully completed in October. The company had acquired nearly 11,000 square meters of land in 2019 to maximize the usage of workshops and office spaces at the site. Construction of the new facilities took approximately 12 months.

“Reaching 10 years became even sweeter when we completed our Phase Three construction project simultaneously,” said Irene Tan, General Manager of the Qingdao plant. “This gives us the space to further expand and support the future growth prospect of aviation in China, as well as the ramp-ups in the Asia Pacific region. I look forward to this new chapter with my APAC team.”

The facility, which first opened its doors in 2013, was the first international aircraft seat manufacturer to establish production facilities in China. Today, the facility employs a dedicated workforce of 160.