What’s Behind Foton’s Spectacular Growth in Past 13 Years?
2009-07-08 Source：english.chinabuses.com
Summarize：English.chinabuses.com: evolved from an unknown manufacturer of agricultural vehicles, Foton has now become the world’s second largest builder of commercial vehicles, boasting an annual sales vo ...
English.chinabuses.com: evolved from an unknown manufacturer of agricultural vehicles, Foton has now become the world’s second largest builder of commercial vehicles, boasting an annual sales volume of one million of various types of vehicles. In recent years, its transformation has attracted close attention from such big names as Benz and Commins. In mere 13 years, how can the company create such a legend?
Various kinds of truck products rolled out by Foton
For some historical reasons, China’s commercial vehicle market used to be dominated by such state-owned enterprises as FAW and Dongfeng. However, as the market gradually began playing central role in China’s national economy, the situation in the commercial vehicle sector also went through many changes. Thanks to the continued strengthening of its corporate management and constantly expanding product spectrum, Foton is now a central player in China’s commercial vehicle industry.
Foton fuel cell city bus running in Beijing
In the first few years of its establishment, the technician-turned General Director WANG Jinyu led Foton to tie the knot with Beijing Automobile Company. In the beginning, the newly merged company rolled out “Beijing” branded light-duty trucks, which were targeted at the low-end market. It is the “Beijing” trucks that has helped Foton shot to the stardom and become the largest manufacturer of agricultural vehicles in less than two years.
Foton hybrid bus at a bus exhibition in Beijing
With the initial success, Foton went public in 1998 and quickly expanded its business line. In 2000, the company’s headquarters moved from a small county to Beijing, thus laying a solid foundation for its spectacular transformation in the next few years. Apart from light- and heavy-duty trucks and buses, it has also entered the passenger car industry by rolling out MPV and MIDI.
A tour to Foton’s headquarters in northern Beijing now makes every local residents drop their jaws as it has become a thriving new energy industrial park in less than a few years from a desolate farming land.
A review of Foton’s short history tells us the secrets of its success lie in its high priorities given to talents development and retention, its ceaseless efforts in seeking new market opportunities, its timely products that cater to the market needs. Take its bus & coach business for example, Foton is now a well established brand in the sector. It not only boasts formidable strength in the area of building traditional fuel-powered buses, but also has been quite successful in R&D of new energy vehicles. To date, its hybrid buses have already realized serial production and made their way to many cities across China, such as Beijing, Taipei and Guangzhou.
Today, Foton is aiming even higher by seeking every opportunity to play on the same field with its international counterparts. To speed up its process of internationalization, it has set up cooperative ties with Benz and Commins, two well acclaimed names in the global auto industry.
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