The November China-Team ChinaWebinar Expert Talk: German Manufacturing Machines for Future Chinese “Red Ocean” Companies saw the moderator Xiaolong Hu interesting and informative discussing the Chinese machinery and automation market that is not only the largest, but also one of the fastest growing markets in the world. With German machine builders increasingly doing business with Chinese customers the future may look bright

However, in many areas of application, the Chinese competitors even have an advantage due to their proximity to the production locations. 

With our experts, we discuss how German mechanical engineering companies can assert the Chinese market and serve Chinese customers in the future with market-oriented product concepts and high product quality.

Panel Experts:

Mr. Martin Ebner, CTO, Strama-MPS Group

Chanfang Wang, Founder China Expert Services, Digital China-Europe Network

Dr. Martin Kovacik, Director Engineering Energy Storage, Manz AG

Dr. Tianyu Liu, General Manager Machine Sales Asia, voestalpine eifeler Vacotec GmbH

Expert Introductions:

Martin Ebner

Chief Technology Officer (CTO),

Strama-MPS Maschinenbau GmbH & Co., Straubing

Trained in one of the first dual courses of study in Bavaria to become a mechanical engineer and at the same time holding a certificate as an industrial mechanic, as well as a consecutive master’s degree at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Nurnberg-Erlangen, Mr. Ebner has already been working at Strama-MPS for 13 years in different areas. For two years now, as CTO, he has been managing the company’s digitalization, strategic fields as well as innovations in the areas of automation technology. Besides he is a member of the Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland as well as a former scholarship holder of the Hanns-Seidl-Foundation.

Xiaolong Hu

Managing Partner

China-Team GmbH

He is expert and ChinaCoach supporting European small and medium sized enterprises archiving sustainable market success. As founder of China-Team (www.china-team.de), Xiaolong Hu looks back on 20 years experience in consulting business in Europe and China.

Chanfang Wang

Founder China Expert Services

Digital China-Europe Network

Chanfang Wang has more than 13 years of experience in Europe in corporate strategy, change management, market & competitive intelligence, business development in IT, machinery automation & robotics industries. Now she’s the Founder of China Expert Services (CES) and Digital China-Europe Network based in Frankfurt. She’s passionate about connecting people, ideas and technology. CES helps European high-tech SMEs expand and digitize in China, Chinese high-tech SMEs expand to Europe with transformational educational programs and digital tours. 

Dr. Tianyu Liu 

General Manager of machine sales Asia

voestalpine eifeler Vacotec GmbH

Dr. Liu received his Ph. D degree from Humboldt University in 2004. Since then he has over 15 years work experience based in Shanghai. This  includes 7 years business consulting to support SME customers to formulate China business entry strategy and in addition to implement running the business. He has a very good knowledge of the Chinese market and is able to establish business relations and strategic orientations in Asia, especially in China.  He devoted himself to support German SMEs to do the business development in Asia right after his consulting career was over. Market and customers needs orientation in addition to his strong technology background can always lead to successful business development stories in China.

Dr. Martin Kovacik

Director Engineering Energy Storage

Manz AG

Martin is mechanical engineer with PhD. in Bionics and Innovation strategy. He built up two engineering centers in Slovakia and China for German Machine and System manufacturer KraussMaffei Technologies and in China developed two serial machines for local Chinese market. Both of these machine series are currently succesfull at the market in China. Currently he is leading global Engineering Department of Energy Storage at Manz AG, where he is responsible for three European Engineering sites in Germany, Italy and Slovakia. His passion is to follow up trends and development of Chinese market and that is why he is still in close contact with ChinaTeam.

Time Stamp

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:17 Opening of Webinar by Xiaolong Hu

00:03:58 Delivery of Keynote by Martin Ebner

00:25:34 Xiaolong Summarises the core message keynote

00:17:00 Question to Dr Sandra Bell: What was the most famous building that you equipped with Viega systems?

00:26:02 Opening up the discussion and introduction of Expert Panel. 

00:27:31 Introduction of Chanfang Wang.

00:20:54 Question to Chanfang Wang: What does your company do and what is your experience in China? 

00:27:31 Introduction of Dr. Liu Tianyu

00:30:35 Question to Liu Tianyu: What kind of consulting projects did you do 10 years ago for German mechanical engineering customers? 

00:27:31 Introduction of Martin Kovacik

00:35:36 Question to Martin Kovacik: How did the mechanical engineering market in China change between 2014 and 2020? 

00:37:48 Question to Chanfang Wang: What are the trends are seen in the specialised area of automated warehousing market in China? 

00:41:59 Recap and Question to Martin Ebner: What kind of market information is important for you as you developed your China strategy and what kind of information was important and difficult to obtain?

00:45:56 Recap and Question to Martin Kovacik: What competitive situation did you find in China in 2014? How many Chinese companies that you didn’t know of before? any competitors back then? 

00:49:33 Recap and Question to Chanfang Wang: How has the European companies’ competitiveness in automated warehousing market changed in China over the past 5 years in relation to the Chinese Competitor Producers? 

00:52:57 Question to Liu Tianyu: Why do Chinese customers today continue to buy your products, which are designed in?

00:57:26 Recap and Question to Martin Kovacik: How to recruit and develop your product design team and engineering team in China?

01:03:39 Question to Chanfang Wang: Why to take China as a field of innovation?

01:09:57 Question to Martin Ebner: What is your plan to use China as an innovation location?

01:12:08 Question to Liu Tianyu: How to develop an after sales service network alongside the expectation of Chinese consumers expecting special deals?

01:16:41 Recap and audience member Question Patrick Frick to Liu Tianyu and Martin Kovacik: When should a local R&D  or engineering team  be established?

01:19:17 Audience member Question to Liu Tianyu and Chanfang Wang: How do you find suitable partner who will not copy you later?

01:22:29 Audience member Question to Martin Kovacik: What does an ideal inter-cultural team in China look like in your opinion? German and Chinese sales manager and some German technical experts as well?

01:09:57 Question to Martin Ebner: Where would you like to cooperate with other companies?

01:09:57 Audience member Question to Martin Ebner: Can your company supply a banding machine as there are difficulties finding a supplier in China?

01:25:50 Closing remarks and end

This podcast it’s made in partnership between ChinaTeam and AsiaBizStories

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