German truck giant MAN, a unit of Volkswagen, said on Wednesday it had signed a contract to deliver truck chassis to Sany Heavy Industries of China.

The value of the contract was not disclosed.

MAN and Sany "will step up their business relationship with regard to special-purpose vehicles ... with a view to strengthening their respective market positions in the construction-machinery sector," the German group said in a statement.

Sany is one of the world's leading manufacturers of construction machinery and specialises in concrete mixers and pumps.

Earlier this year, the Chinese group purchased the German concrete-pump manufacturer Putzmeister.

"We are proud that Sany has decided to equip its concrete pumps with robust and environmentally compatible chassis and engines from MAN," said MAN Truck and Bus marketing chief Frank Hiller.

The deal marked "a further milestone on the way to accessing the Chinese market but also to growth in the rest of Asia," Hiller said.