Sino-German couple chase dreams in E China’s Taicang
At the start of the Year of the Dragon, the production floors at CIT (Taicang) Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. were already humming. Air suspension compressors for new energy vehicles moved steadily off the lines, and co-founders Christopher Praetzas and Jiang Xiaohua split their days between development meetings, customer calls, and hands-on checks of precision machining and noise-testing procedures. It’s their fourth year in Taicang—and their busiest yet.
The couple’s path to entrepreneurship began years earlier. Christopher had been immersed in Germany’s aviation manufacturing and artificial intelligence sectors, while Jiang built her career in automotive manufacturing. As their expertise deepened, so did a shared ambition: to build a company anchored in advanced engineering, positioned inside a world-class supply chain, and agile enough to serve global markets.
They scouted both China and Germany to find that fit. An exploratory visit to Taicang in 2023 proved decisive. Driving along tree-lined boulevards, Jiang was taken by the city’s calm energy and livability. Christopher quickly discovered that a key German supplier he’d worked with was based right there—surrounded by a dense network of auto parts makers. The city’s long-standing ecosystem for German-invested enterprises, together with a mature local industrial chain, made their choice clear.
Equally compelling was the speed and clarity of support. On day one, they received policy guidance; by the afternoon, they were touring the Sino-German Life Science Park. The next day, registration steps were mapped out. Processes that often take weeks elsewhere were handled with striking efficiency, and the city’s respect for technical talent left a lasting impression. Early recognition for Christopher’s technical achievements reinforced their sense of belonging and commitment to grow in Taicang.
Today, CIT (Taicang) focuses on air suspension compressors for new energy vehicles, and its first-generation products have reached an annual capacity of 240,000 units. The second generation is already in development, informed by rigorous lab work and iterative testing—including semi-anechoic noise validation and precision machining refinements. The roadmap is clear: build a technology-centered company whose products not only serve China’s fast-evolving EV market but also compete in Europe, North America, and beyond.
That global ambition is complemented by local roots. Away from the factory, the couple relish Taicang’s small-town warmth. Weekends might include a family stroll through Renmin Park or along the Taicang Rothenburg Waterfront, where German-style architecture evokes a touch of home for Christopher. Multigenerational family support helps them balance the demands of a scaling hardware business with time for their young daughter—moments that underscore why they chose a city where work and life can harmonize.
Taicang’s broader story provides the backdrop. Known as the “hometown of German enterprises,” the city has welcomed more than 560 German-funded companies over the past three decades. Today, over a thousand Germans live and work there year-round, fostering a community where technical standards, craftsmanship, and cross-cultural collaboration thrive. What began as a bridge for industrial cooperation has evolved into a place where many find a “second hometown.”
Inside the CIT (Taicang) workshops, that spirit of collaboration is tangible. Engineers refine processing plans shoulder to shoulder with production teams, translating customer requirements into manufacturable solutions. Sample builds progress into pilot runs; pilot runs become mass production. Each step is measured, documented, and improved—a rhythm that reflects the couple’s complementary strengths: Jiang’s operational focus and customer orientation, and Christopher’s engineering leadership and systems thinking.
The new year brings a packed agenda. Scaling capacity while advancing the second-generation platform demands careful sequencing of supplier qualifications, equipment upgrades, and process validation. The team is expanding, and with it the need to embed repeatable quality systems—from parts traceability and reliability testing to acoustics optimization under real-world conditions. Yet the couple remains unwavering in their core principle: technology should serve people. For them, that means safer, quieter, more efficient components that make electric mobility more comfortable and more sustainable.
Looking ahead, they see Taicang as a launchpad rather than a destination. As their compressors roll into more vehicles, they plan to extend their product portfolio to adjacent air management systems and deepen collaborations with both Chinese and international OEMs. The aim is not just to manufacture at scale, but to set benchmarks in performance and reliability—and to do it from a city that has made global manufacturing feel local.
Home, they have learned, is where vision meets opportunity. In Taicang, a Sino-German partnership has found both—and their story is still unfolding.
