HOFO

What HOFO does

HOFO (legal name Anhui Haofang Electromechanical Co., Ltd. / 安徽昊方机电股份有限公司) is a Chinese NEEQ-listed precision metal forming manufacturer (stock code 831710, listed January 19, 2015) founded in 1997 in Bengbu, Anhui Province. The company holds the world's #1 market share position in automotive air conditioning electromagnetic clutches and positions itself as a 'metal forming supermarket' offering one-stop manufacturing across hot/cold forging, stamping, drawing, spin forming, high/low pressure casting, aluminum die casting, powder metallurgy (PM), metal injection molding (MIM), bulk metallic glass (BMG) liquid metal forming, and electroplating. HOFO operates five production bases (Bengbu HQ plus Fujian Longyan, Hebei Bazhou, Jinan, Chongqing) on roughly 1,000 mu of land with 2,800 main production equipment units and 2,000+ employees.

The company's core product portfolio centers on automotive AC electromagnetic clutches and spun belt pulleys, with adjacent lines in aluminum die-castings for new energy vehicles (air suspension compressors, battery and motor housing castings), powder metallurgy and MIM precision components, BMG liquid metal products, and Haofang-branded circular knitting machine sinker needles. Technical depth is anchored by 344 valid authorized patents (55 invention patents) as of June 2023, authorship of national standard GB/T 32691-2016 for automotive AC electromagnetic clutches, and proprietary installations such as China's first German DORST 1600-ton powder pressing press (8th globally) and self-developed BMG die-casting equipment.

HOFO operates a pure B2B contract manufacturing model, supplying global automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers (Valeo, Mahle, Denso, Sanden, Hanon, Schaeffler, GKN, Magna, Mubea, Gates, GM, Great Wall Motors, BYD, Hongqi, JAC), as well as non-automotive customers (Foxconn in 3C, Hisense in thermal management, NASN in driveline). Pricing is quote-based, tied to customer specifications and order volumes, with no public disclosure. Revenue mechanics flow from direct enterprise sales relationships, multi-year supplier qualifications, and capacity buildouts aligned to OEM forecasts. HOFO's 15th Five-Year Plan targets RMB 2 billion in output value by ~2030, supported by the recently commissioned 80,000-ton aluminum casting expansion and 100,000-unit/year air suspension compressor assembly line at Hebei HOFO New Energy.

Name

HOFO

Legal name

安徽昊方机电股份有限公司 (Anhui Haofang Electromechanical Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://hofo-em.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

HOFO (Anhui Haofang Electromechanical) is a Chinese NEEQ-listed manufacturer (founded 1997) and the world's largest producer of automotive air conditioning electromagnetic clutches. Operating as a 'metal forming supermarket' across 10+ process platforms, it serves global automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, NEV makers, and military/industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing (IMACABAN)

Keywords

• Automotive electromagnetic clutches
• Precision metal forming
• Automotive component manufacturing
• Powder metallurgy components
• Automotive OEM supplier

Headquarters

HQ city

Bengbu

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Automotive Components Manufacturing: HOFO generates revenue primarily through manufacturing and supplying precision metal-formed components to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Core products include automotive air conditioning electromagnetic clutches (the world's largest manufacturer), spun皮带轮 (belt pulleys), aluminum castings, and other precision metal parts used across the automotive supply chain.
2. New Energy & EV Components: Revenue from new energy vehicle components including air suspension compressors, valve coil assemblies, and aluminum die-castings for EV applications. The company holds supplier codes from major Chinese EV manufacturers including BYD and Hongqi.
3. Precision Industrial Components (Knitting Needles, MIM, PM): Additional revenue streams from specialized metal forming products including warp knitting machine latch needles, powder metallurgy (PM) components, metal injection molded (MIM) parts, and rubber/plastic products serving 3C, medical devices, 5G, and military sectors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HOFO is a comprehensive metal forming technology manufacturer and 'Metal Forming Supermarket' producing precision metal components for automotive and industrial applications. The company's flagship product is the automotive air conditioning electromagnetic clutch, in which it holds the world's largest market share. Its product portfolio spans automotive AC clutches, new energy vehicle components (air suspension compressors, aluminum die-castings), spin-formed belt pulleys, aluminum castings, powder metallurgy (PM) parts, metal injection molded (MIM) parts, liquid metal (BMG) parts, knitting needles, rubber/plastic components, surface treatment, and precision molds.

Product overview

HOFO is a comprehensive metal forming technology platform and 'Metal Forming Supermarket' offering integrated manufacturing services across multiple forming technologies including hot/cold forging, stamping, drawing, spin forming, high/low pressure casting, powder metallurgy (PM), metal injection molding (MIM), liquid metal (BMG), and surface treatment. The company operates as a one-stop-shop for precision metal components serving automotive air conditioning clutches (core product, #1 global market share), new energy vehicle components, flow-formed皮带轮, cast aluminum parts, knitting needles, and rubber/plastic parts. Manufacturing bases span Bengbu headquarters plus facilities in Fujian, Hebei, Shandong, and Chongqing. Target industries include automotive, new energy, military/defense, 5G, 3C consumer electronics, and medical equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 昊方织针: Knitting machine needles produced by Haofang using metal forming technologies.
• 昊方新能源

Products and services

• Automotive Air Conditioning Electromagnetic Clutch HOFO's flagship product category where it holds the world's largest manufacturer position. Automotive AC electromagnetic clutches engage and disengage the air conditioning compressor in vehicles, sold to global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers including Valeo, Mahle, Denso, Sanden, and Hanon Systems.
• New Energy Vehicle Components Aluminum die-castings and related components for new energy vehicles, including air suspension compressors (3.85 million unit/year capacity at Hebei HOFO New Energy) and valve coil products. Targets Chinese NEV manufacturers including BYD and Hongqi.
• Spin-Formed Belt Pulleys (Flow Forming) Spin-formed pulley wheels and related components used in automotive power transmission systems. Produced via 30 fully automatic production lines at Bengbu Weierte subsidiary.
• Aluminum Castings High and low pressure casting and gravity casting for aluminum components used in automotive and new energy applications, with 80,000 tons annual production capacity planned.
• Haofang Knitting Needles (昊方织针) Circular knitting machine sinker needles for industrial textile machinery, leveraging HOFO's precision metal forming manufacturing capabilities.
• Powder Metallurgy (PM) Components Powder metallurgy forming technology for large and heavy precision components using top-tier German DORST presses including the 1600-ton press (globally 8th, China 1st installation).
• Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Components Metal injection molding for ultra-heavy, ultra-long, and specially-shaped precision components used across automotive, 3C, medical, and military applications.
• Liquid Metal / Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) Components Proprietary liquid metal pressure casting equipment for innovative products including SMT carrier fixtures, leveraging bulk metallic glass (BMG) material properties.
• Rubber and Plastic Components Rubber and plastic components for automotive applications, complementing HOFO's metal forming capabilities with hybrid material solutions.
• Surface Treatment Services Electroplating and other surface treatment processes for metal components, part of HOFO's full-process in-house metal forming chain.
• Precision Molds Precision mold manufacturing for the metal forming industry, supporting HOFO's in-house tooling needs and customer-specific component production.

Named customers22 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HOFO-BAIN Materials Technology (安徽) Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Established in 2021 as a joint venture with US-based Bain company to specialize in advanced materials and metal forming technologies.
• Chongqing Jianshe-HOFO Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joint venture with Chongqing Jianshe Industrial Group, established in 2013, serving the defense and automotive sectors in the western China market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Denso: World's second-largest automotive supplier and global thermal management leader. HOFO's major customer ('Group Synergy Award' 2024) with vertically integrated thermal management capabilities that could compete with HOFO on certain component categories over time.
• Hanon Systems: Global thermal management supplier (formerly Visteon Climate) with HVAC and compressor portfolio. HOFO customer and broad incumbent in overlapping thermal management component space with substantial global manufacturing footprint.
• Mahle: Global automotive parts leader in thermal management, filtration, and powertrain. HOFO customer ('Strategic Partner - Forging Ahead Award' 2023) and a broad incumbent offering overlapping component capabilities including HVAC, compressor components, and metal-formed parts.
• Modine Manufacturing: US-listed thermal management specialist with focus on automotive and commercial vehicle HVAC, EV battery cooling, and precision-formed heat exchange components. Comparable product scope to HOFO in thermal management with broader global footprint.
• Valeo: Global Tier 1 automotive thermal management supplier and HOFO's largest customer for AC clutches. Operates broadly across HVAC, powertrain thermal management, and electrified mobility with much larger global footprint and overlapping component capabilities.
• Sanden: Japanese automotive AC compressor specialist and HOFO customer. Broad incumbent in thermal management with focus on compressors rather than clutches but overlapping customer base and component technology footprint in the global automotive AC supply chain.

Direct peers

• Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts: Chinese precision metal automotive parts manufacturer with focus on stamping and aluminum die-castings for OEM customers. Comparable in scale and precision metal forming capabilities to HOFO, serving similar Tier 1 and OEM customer base.
• Ningbo Tuopu Group: Major Chinese automotive components supplier with strong NEV thermal management and precision metal component portfolio, serving similar OEM and Tier 1 customer base as HOFO. Comparable in scale and product breadth within the Chinese auto parts landscape, listed on Shenzhen main board.
• Yinlun Co. Leading Chinese automotive thermal management component manufacturer with aluminum heat exchangers and EV thermal management focus, directly competing with HOFO in serving OEM thermal management needs. Comparable in customer mix (Chinese OEMs including NEV players) and product overlap.
• Pacific Precision Forging: Chinese precision forging specialist serving automotive transmission and drivetrain applications. Comparable precision metal forming technology platform serving OEM customers in the Chinese automotive supply chain, with similar scale and process technology overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HOFO