The cranes produced by Xinxiang Changyuan occupy 70% of the national market share, and their products are exported to more than 170 countries and regions. In the current context of global trade instability, how is the export trade here?
The reporter first came to Weihua Group. As soon as they entered the exhibition hall, they met a visiting group from Kazakhstan. This was the eighth batch of foreign customers received by the company this week.
Andrei, a merchant from Kazakhstan: We are a sales company. We came here to find a stable and long-term partner in China to provide us with advanced crane equipment.
Since this year, Weihua's exports have continued to make new breakthroughs, opening up markets in Germany, Mexico and other countries. The staff told reporters that Weihua previously focused on the domestic market and did sporadic foreign trade. With the further advancement of the "Belt and Road" initiative, they specially established Weihua International Company in 2023 to develop overseas markets.
Wang Xi, Executive Vice President of Weihua International Development Co., Ltd.: We at Weihua International have nearly 400 employees (teams), and more than 90% of us are in our various sales outlets and service outlets around the world. We leave less than 10% domestically to provide frontline services.
When the international team of 400 people went deep into the front line, they found that the real challenges had just begun. Europe had strict safety certifications, Southeast Asia focused on cost-effectiveness, and Africa relied on all-weather after-sales. Weihua’s response strategy was precise R&D and precise "localization" of one location and one policy.
Wang Xi, Executive Vice President of Weihua International Development Co., Ltd.: When we arrived at a place, we imagined ourselves as a local enterprise. Products are customized according to customer needs, products are designed according to the customer's usage conditions, and products are produced according to the customer's local standards.
In the workshop, reporters saw that robots were welding cranes exported to African hydropower station projects. Since they have to face high temperature and high humidity environments for a long time, after welding they not only need to be painted with anti-rust paint, but also with high temperature resistant paint.electronic components to reduce the impact of the environment on the equipment.
Reporter: What do these red dots mean?
Wang Xi, Executive Vice President of Weihua International Development Co., Ltd.: It represents some countries and regions where we have supplied products or where we are currently executing projects. Our supply volume in the United States is not particularly large.
Reporter: What is the proportion?
Wang Xi, Executive Vice President of Weihua International Development Co., Ltd.: It accounts for less than 1% of our entire Weihua output value. The direct impact of additional tariffs on us is minimal. It is focused on the countries along our "Belt and Road".
Proactive attack, global layout and precise "localization" strategy of one location, one policy allowed Weihua Group's overseas sales to increase by nearly 50% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year.
In Changyuan Crane Industrial Park, it is not only leading companies like Weihua that are growing against the trend. Some small and medium-sized crane factories have also launched the "domestic trade with foreign trade" model this year. Not long ago, MCC Crane's "overhead" cranes were exported to the Vietnamese market for the first time, and soon after they welcomed customers from Thailand.
