After a year and a half installed in the city of Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, China and operating since July of 2009, Fras-le Asia will be officially inaugurated this Thursday, July 15. This date will also mark the beginning of local production of commercial vehicle brake liners, in addition to the liners already being produced. Fras-le president Daniel Randon and Randon Corporation president David Randon took advantage of the presence of regional authorities and guests to announce that in October the factory will begin its first expansion project, adding both production area and hiring new employees.  

The expansion of Fras-le Asia, which in terms of machinery alone has required investments of US$ 2.5 million, will be adding an additional 4,400 m² to its current 3,500 m². The staff of 75 will increase to 140 by the end of 2010. The new areas at Fras-le Asia will house warehouses, product shipping facilities and a quality control laboratory, in addition to administrative offices.  

President Daniel Randon pointed out that in just over a year in operation the company has already earned ISO 9001 certification, which also opened space for Fras-le Asia to certify the brake liners it produces with the demanding European ECE-R90 standards. “In Pinghu we are producing European certified liners. This is an essential requirement for doing business with the European community, giving us status as a first-rate supplier in that market," pointed out Fras-le's president.  

By deciding to install a factory in China, which required initial investments to the order of US$ 3.5 million, the company sought to move forward with its internationalization project. Fras-le has been active in the Chinese market since 2001. In 2006 it began to serve it through a fixed trade operation in China until the factory there opened in 2009. “Our challenge should become even more intense given such great worldwide potential in the area of friction materials," he explained, pointing out that the importance of Fras-le Asia goes much further than merely supporting the Randon Corporation’s strategies for the Asian market.