Continental

Continental, a Fortune 500 company, has invested a total of 1 billion Euros ($1.16 billion) in the Hefei high-tech zone since its first entry in 2007. The Continental’s Hefei branch is their first plant located in China to manufacture eco-friendly tires and auto parts. The plant also constituted the largest single time foreign investment in that year. After more than 10 years of development, Continental has relocated its tire plant, R&D center and sales center in the HTZ. At present, Hefei is the headquarters of Continental AG in China. 

After the investment of 185 million Euros and 134 million Euros, the third phase of Continental Tire's (China) Hefei plant was completed in March, 2017. With a total investment of nearly 460 million Euros, the plant will achieve an annual output capacity of 14 million passenger car tires and 15 million two-wheel tires. 

The Hefei high-tech zone and Continental are cooperating in 2018 to launch the 4th phase of a project to further expand production capacity to meet increasing demand both in domestic and overseas markets. After the project is completed, the annual output will reach 20 million passenger car tires and 15 million two-wheel vehicle tires.

Gree

Gree entered the Hefei high-tech zone in 2006. In 2013, the output of Gree was 22 billion yuan and the tax was 560 million yuan. Its plant in Hefei is specialized in manufacturing household air conditioners, commercial air conditioners and other home appliances. The total investment is about 4.4 billion yuan. The project covers a total area of 1,525 Mu (1.02 sq km). It is the biggest air conditioner manufacturing plant in Mid-east China and the third biggest in China. 

NSK 

NSK is a Japanese company mainly engaged in manufacturing precision bearings. The company entered the Hefei high-tech zone in 2011 with a total investment of $300 million. Its total output value in 2013 was more than 400 million yuan. The company is provided with one-stop services for approving and registering investment projects and tracing services. Its plant in Hefei is the biggest plant that NSK has established in China. 

Whirlpool

Whirlpool, founded in 1911, is the world’s biggest home appliance manufacturer. Its business covers more than 170 countries. Whirlpool relocated its China headquarters and R&D center to Hefei. It’s aiming at improving industrial structures, extending industrial chains and accelerating the transition from traditional home appliances to intelligent home appliances in Hefei. 

In November 2015, Whirlpool built their headquarters and global R&D center in Hefei. They greatly enhanced the city’s international competitiveness in home appliances. The total area covers nearly 0.667 sq km and the initial investment was nearly 2 billion yuan, making Hefei one of Whirlpool’s biggest overseas R&D centers around the world.

3M 

3M is an American multinational conglomerate and also a Global Fortune 500 company. In 2011, it invested 1 billion yuan in the Hefei high-tech zone, and established a plant that covers an area of 0.27 sq km to manufacture solar battery backplanes and coated abrasive products. The annual output of the project will be 2 billion yuan when it reaches designed capacity.