A total of nine key projects got underway in Taicang, Jiangsu province to celebrate the beginning of the city's Golden Autumn Economic and Trade Month on Oct 23.

German-based Schaeffler Group begins construction on a new manufacturing plant for electric driving and aviation parts in Taicang. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

Schaeffler Group will build a digital plant consisting of three manufacturing centers for new energy vehicle parts, aviation parts, and special equipment. The project has received 1.5 billion yuan ($212.3 million) in investment.

After its completion, the plant will cover an area of 137 mu (9.13 hectares). It is expected to generate an annual output value of 5.5 billion yuan.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Zippo (China) Outdoor Products Co [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

Zippo Manufacturing Co, known for its windproof metal lighters, will open a processing center for outdoor products in Taicang. The center, which received $33 million in investment, is expected to manufacture over 4.5 million lighters every year and engage in R&D of pots, glasses, and tobacco pipes.

Mahle Group holds a ceremony for its expansion into Taicang on Oct 23. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

Germany's Mahle Group, an automotive parts supplier, has begun expanding its manufacturing center in Taicang. An additional 600 million yuan in investment is expected to lead to an annual output of 800,000 automobile parts.

In February, German company Multivac, one of the leading global providers of packaging solutions for food, life science and healthcare products, set up its first research and manufacturing base in China in Taicang of eastern Jiangsu province.

The county-level city has attracted more than 300 German companies so far, and they have invested an aggregate of $4.5 billion, producing more than 50 billion yuan ($7.5 billion) industrial output annually, to make it a successful model for Sino-German cooperation, official figures show.