A new research and development center for specialty lubricants and release agents is due to be introduced in the company's plant in Qingpu, Shanghai.

Freudenberg's sales in China rose 33 percent to 5.4 billion yuan in 2013, accounting for 10 percent of its sales worldwide.

"In some areas, growth in this region is significantly higher than in our other regions. In 2013, the share of the China region in the group's sales increased by approximately 2 percent," said Hanno D Wentzler, the group's regional representative in Asia.

Based on the market performance, Wentzler said the company planned to scale up its investment in China, with 50 million yuan ($8 million) put aside for its filtration business alone in the next two years.

During the past 10 years Freudenberg invested about 2.3 billion yuan in China.

Top 10 biggest auto makers of 2014	Top 10 Chinese car maker moves