Spanish supplier, Gestamp, says it has used the economic crisis of the past few years to diversify its portfolio and post significantly improved revenue.
Last year Gestamp opened its Chassis Innovation Centre in Bielefeld for the design and testing of prototypes for global automotive platforms.
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“We have not only survived, but turned the crisis into an opportunity,” a Gestamp spokesman told just-auto at this week’s European automotive supplier association, CLEPA’s Annual Reception in Brussels.
“Our company has doubled its size in the worst years of the crisis from 2008-2014. It [Chassis Centre] gives us a diversified portfolio. We were usually a stamping company and then we opened a chassis company.
“It was a very smart move to take advantage of that crisis to diversify production and to diversify regionally.”
The Gestamp spokesman also noted in 2008, the Spanish manufacturer did not have any factories in China and now it has eight.
“Gestamp is a non-told story and it is a very exciting story because it shows Europe has an opportunity,” he said. “If you rely on innovation, technology and adding value, you can only survive and grow with our customers.”
Gestamp is forecasting total revenue for last year of EUR6.2bn (US$6.8bn), representing “significant growth” compared to EUR5.7bn in 2013.
