German automotive supplier Grammer (Amberg; www.grammer.com) has increased capacity at its Brazilian facility in Atibaia, not far from São Paulo, by about 30%. The site had been utilised primarily for the production of driver and passenger seats needed for trucks and agricultural machinery. However, with the recent capacity boost, Grammer is now manufacturing headrests for passenger vehicles to meet the demand its subsidiary, Grammer do Brasil, has been receiving from local auto producers. The entire floor space at the site has been increased to approximately 15,000 m² while the number of employees has gone up from 100 to almost 700.

The Bavarian-based company saw its revenues climb during the first quarter of 2014 to EUR 331m, representing a 7.3% increase over the same period in 2013. Its EBIT was also higher at EUR 14.8m for Q1 (EUR 13.8m in 2013).