More than 50 automotive suppliers with more than $500 million (3.2 billion yuan) in revenue are for sale, Tim Leuliette, who runs an advisory firm that works with Chinese companies, said in an interview.

Chinese companies are among the most active shoppers because corporations in the the United States and Europe are constrained by tighter lending standards, budget and debt concerns and lower consumer confidence, he said.

"With things going bad in Europe and things of concern in the U.S., the Chinese are still active in this," said Leuliette, a former chief executive officer of Metaldyne Corp.

"They desperately need infrastructure and support to address the automotive growth. They don't have all the answers, the people, the technology or the infrastructure to do it."

Until recently, Chinese companies have concentrated on financially troubled suppliers that could be acquired at "cheap" prices, Leuliette said.

On Aug. 31, the state-owned China Auto Parts & Accessories Capital Holding Ltd. bought out Tempo Group's 50 percent stake in Leuliette's advisory firm, Andus-Leuliette LLC. Tempo is a Beijing-based maker of auto parts.

The Chinese are interested in companies that make auto parts for the replacement market, especially for commercial vehicles, Leuliette said. His firm is also working with companies that want to boost their presence in China through acquisitions.

"There are a lot in discussion right now," he said. "The Chinese don't move at light speed, especially if it's a publicly traded company. But on the private side, there are a lot of active discussions."