SOFIA, Bulgaria, March 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sensata Technologies, (NYSE:ST) one of the world’s leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions, today announced the opening of its largest global testing facility in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Testing Laboratory and Mechanization Office is now operational and employs more than 100 highly-skilled engineers and technicians in the areas of durability testing, research and development, field failure analysis and equipment development for Sensata’s automotive sensing technology. The company invested approximately $3 million in the Testing Laboratory and Mechanization Office.

“Our customers rely on Sensata to deliver proven, mission-critical sensing capabilities that help solve some of their toughest problems while meeting stringent quality and performance standards,” said Paul Chawla, Senior Vice President, Performance Sensing, Europe.  “The tests implemented in our new Testing Laboratory recreate some of the harshest conditions our products may encounter in a vehicle, including extreme temperatures and environmental conditions. We are excited about this expansion and very proud of our engineering teams who help to ensure that our products meet Sensata and customer specifications and strict industry standards.”

A single automotive sensor designed by Sensata engineers undergoes over 200 functional tests in the Testing Laboratory before it moves to manufacturing to simulate the complete lifetime of a car in three months’ time.

The sensors are tested to endure temperatures from -40 to +1,200 degrees Celsius. The sensors also undergo tests for protection against moisture, dust and steam cleaning, where each sensor is exposed to high-pressure water steam reaching up to 100 degrees Celsius and pressure up to 100 bars. Other tests include chemical resistance, vibration and electromagnetic compatibility between the sensor and the vehicle.

Sensata Technologies Bulgaria currently employs more than 3,000 people. In the capital Sofia the company has its Business Center, where the new Testing Laboratory and Mechanization Office is located along with Design Engineering, Shared Services, and Customer Service departments.  In Plovdiv, the company produces pressure sensors and in Botevgrad, they produce high temperature sensors, both for the automotive market.

About Sensata Technologies:

Sensata Technologies is one of the world’s leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions with operations and business centers in thirteen countries.  Sensata’s products improve safety, efficiency and comfort for millions of people every day in automotive, appliance, aircraft, industrial, military, heavy vehicle, heating, air-conditioning, data, telecommunications, recreational vehicle and marine applications.  For more information, please visit Sensata’s web site at www.sensata.com.