AUMOVIO plans to sell its Mechelen, Belgium, manufacturing site — one of its core European production hubs for electronic brake systems — to the Dumarey Group, continuing a broader effort to realign the supplier’s global production footprint. Under the proposed agreement, Dumarey would take over the plant and its roughly 300 employees, while customer contracts stay with AUMOVIO. The deal remains subject to the information and consultation process required under Belgian law, as well as regulatory approvals. Both companies have declined to disclose financial terms.
Highlights
- AUMOVIO to transfer its Mechelen brake systems plant and 300 employees to Belgian family-owned Dumarey Group
- Facility has produced MK-series ABS and ESC brake systems since 2002
- Customer contracts remain with AUMOVIO; contract manufacturing to continue for a limited period
- Transaction pending Belgian works council consultation and regulatory clearance
A Core European ABS and ESC Production Site
Established in 1971, the Mechelen plant has been one of AUMOVIO’s primary European manufacturing sites for electronic brake systems. The press release describes the site’s output as solenoid valves, hydraulic and electronic control units, and wheel speed sensors — the core component stack that feeds modern ABS and electronic stability control (ESC) architectures. Independent industry documentation, including prior assessments by Belgian industry federation Agoria, identifies Mechelen’s product lines as active wheel speed sensors, hydraulic valves, and complete brake systems.
The site began producing Continental’s MK70 ABS electronic brake system in 2002 and passed the 25-million-unit milestone for that system in 2014. It has historically been one of six global plants producing Continental’s (now AUMOVIO’s) MK-series electronic brake systems, alongside sister facilities in Frankfurt, Hamakita (Japan), Morganton (USA), Shanghai, and Várzea Paulista (Brazil). Its production lines combine injection moulding, electric resistance welding, laser welding, servo presses, and functional test systems operating at air pressures above 200 bar.
Transaction Structure
Under the structure announced by AUMOVIO, Dumarey would operate the site while AUMOVIO retains the customer relationships. A contract manufacturing arrangement is expected to keep current component and brake system production running in Mechelen for a limited transitional period. During that window, Dumarey intends to introduce new products and activities tied to other industrial sectors, and AUMOVIO plans to shift production progressively to other plants within its global network.
Footprint Realignment Continues
AUMOVIO framed the sale as part of an ongoing strategy to align manufacturing capacity with market demand and cost pressure. The company cited declining European automotive production volumes and continued pricing pressure — conditions that weigh heavily on a site like Mechelen, which serves a predominantly European customer base.
The announcement extends a pattern visible across AUMOVIO’s post-spin-off portfolio work. The company was established as an independent entity in September 2025, following its separation from Continental’s former Automotive group sector. A similar divestiture closed last year when the company sold its Cairo Montenotte drum brake facility in Italy to Mutares, transferring roughly 400 employees. Broader headcount-reduction programs have also been announced across the business.
“We are taking another step to implement our strategy whilst ensuring continuity and providing a future perspective for the site and its employees with the Dumarey Group, which has its roots in Belgium and long-standing experience across various industry sectors including Automotive. We are confident that it is the right owner to lead this site into the future,” said AUMOVIO CEO Philipp von Hirschheydt.
Dumarey Group’s Expanding Automotive Portfolio
Dumarey Group, founded in 1983 by Guido Dumarey and rebranded from the PUNCH Group in 2023, operates ten sites across Europe, the Americas, and Asia, with approximately 2,500 employees and annual revenue of around €750 million (roughly $882 million at current exchange rates). The group focuses on propulsion systems, fuel injection and fuel rail systems, hydrogen technology, and energy storage, with a product span that reaches from vehicle powertrains and control units to dual-fuel hydrogen engines.
Recent expansion moves include the 2024 integration of Vitesco Technologies’ Italian operations and earlier additions such as ZF Bouthéon in France. The Mechelen acquisition would mark the group’s first dedicated brake systems manufacturing site. Dumarey has signalled plans to pair continued automotive component production with new activities drawn from adjacent industrial segments.
“While the automotive industry faces challenges, new business opportunities can be created. The Dumarey Group has extensive experience in repositioning companies. For the Mechelen plant, I plan to build on the manufacturing experience gained in existing market segments, whilst also combining this expertise with other initiatives that the Dumarey Group is pursuing across various sectors. I am also very happy to be active again in Belgium, a country to which I feel a strong connection, both personally and professionally,” said Guido Dumarey, President and Founder of Dumarey Group.
AUMOVIO, headquartered in Frankfurt, generated sales of €18.5 billion (roughly $21.8 billion) in fiscal 2025 and employs around 82,000 people across more than 80 locations worldwide. Its portfolio includes sensor solutions, displays, brake and comfort systems, software, architecture platforms, and advanced driver assistance systems for software-defined vehicles.
Subscribe Today!
Sign up for our weekly eNewsletter and get a free copy of our quarterly digital magazine.
