China Direct

Philips provides International Youth Culture Centre in Nanjing with energy-efficient LED lighting system

CBI member Philips provided the International Youth Culture Centre in Nanjing with an energy-efficient, dynamic, colour-changing, computer-controlled LED lighting system.

Transforming the city’s skyline with a 16 million colour palette, the façade of the 68-storey building, which houses a five-star hotel and offices, costs less than €114 a day to light. In this instance, the computer controlled LED lighting system saves an additional 60% in electricity used compared to normal LED colour lighting.

A total of 700,000 nodes of Philips iColour Flex MX LED lights accentuate the building’s fluidity and curves while Philips Vaya Linear LED lights create the striking vertical lines. The 300-metre high structure looks even taller due to Philips Vaya Flood LED lights, which project into the night sky.

The lighting system enables the building owners to change colours and create spectacular light shows with a click of a mouse button. The building was designed by leading architect Zaha Hadid.

Please read more here.

 

CBI Member Successes in China - Snapshot of Year of the The Horse

 

Dear CBI members and strategic partners,

China Direct would like to share with you a snapshot of CBI members' successes in China through 2014. We hope that you found our new format easy to use, visual and informative and wish you all every success for the forthcoming year of the sheep.

Please do keep sending us your updates and press releases so that your business can also be highlighted in 2015.

Thank you.

Download CBI Beijing, Member Milestones in China, 2014

Alliance Boots announces 12% stake in Nanjing Pharmaceutial Company

 

Alliance Boots today announces that it has completed the acquisition of a 12% stake in Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company Limited.   

The completion follows receipt of government and regulatory approvals.  As a result of the investment, Alliance Boots becomes the second largest shareholder of the company with the right to nominate Board members and a member of the senior management.   

In September 2012, Alliance Boots announced its intention to invest in Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company Limited through a private placement, for a total consideration of approximately £56 million (RMB560 million).  

Alliance Boots first entered the Chinese market in 2008 through its joint venture, Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Corporation, which operates in complementary geographies and continues its successful development. 

Download Nanjing - Full Completion - 4 Dec 2014

Download Nanjing - Full completion - 4 Dec 2014_Chinese

 

Alstom wins £21 million Nanjing Metro contract

 

CBI member Alstom and its local joint venture, Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd. (SATEE), were awarded a €21 million contract by Nanjing Metro Group to provide traction systems and associated services to Line 12 of the Nanjing Metro in China.

Scheduled to enter commercial operations by the end of 2015, Line 12, also known as Ninghe Intercity Rail Line, is about 36 kilometres long and includes 19 stations. It will connect the city of Nanjing to Hexian County in neighbouring Anhui Province. Involved in seven out of nine lines of Nanjing Metro, Alstom is making an important contribution to the massive expansion of Nanjing’s metro network. In July 2014, both Nanjing Metro Line 10 and the city’s airport link, equipped with Alstom traction systems, successfully entered commercial operation.

Please read more here.

Jaguar Land Rover inaugurates first overseas China manufacturing facility

 

 



Yesterday, CBI member Jaguar Land Rover opened its inaugural overseas manufacturing facility in China.

The award-winning Range Rover Evoque will be the first model to be built under the first Chinese-British automotive venture, with Chery Automobile Company.

The plant inauguration of Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Company follows the two-year construction of a factory, which is almost 400,000 square metres. Located in the Changshu Economic Development Zone north of Shanghai, the factory is part of a RMB 10.9 billion joint venture investment plan.

By 2016, the facility is expected to be building three Jaguar Land Rover models, with total production capacity of 130,000 units a year. Those vehicles will be manufactured in highly-automated press shops—including cutting-edge aluminum and steel technologies—along with a steel body shop comprising 306 robots, an energy-efficient paint shop, and an ergonomically-friendly final assembly line.

A new aluminum body shop, the first in China, is already under construction at the Changshu facility to support the introduction of new Jaguar products.

Significant investment has also been committed to training more than 2,000 new people in health and safety standards, process systems, and problem-solving, as well as the company's quality-control processes and corporate culture.

The facility forms the centrepiece of a joint venture investment that will include the establishment of Jaguar Land Rover's Greater China Research and Development Centre and engine manufacturing. Inaugural sales of the China-made Range Rover Evoque are scheduled to begin in early 2015. Further details will be released at the Guangzhou Motor Show later this year.

Speaking at the new plant's inauguration, Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover, said, "The opening of this world-class facility is an important milestone for Jaguar Land Rover. Since its launch, one in five Range Rover Evoques have been sold in China.

Our decision to manufacture the Range Rover Evoque in Changshu is a result of our commitment to bringing more Chinese vehicles to Chinese customers."

Mr. Yin Tongyao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chery Automobile Company, said, "Chery Jaguar Land Rover remains committed to delivering excellence in its quest to lead the Chinese premium automotive industry through its historic British lineage, world-class quality, and unique shared value approach."

Chris Bryant, President of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, said, "The plant opening marks the completion of our start-up phase of which we are incredibly proud, and now we will continue to build with the same passion and pride to realise our goal to be the premium automotive manufacturer inspiring excellence in China's automotive industry."

In a joint statement, Dr. Speth and Mr. Yin concluded, "We will leverage the complementary strengths of our two businesses to set new standards for manufacturing excellence, quality, and sustainability in China. Together, we can look forward to expansion in China with confidence."

Jaguar Land Rover first established a presence in China just over a decade ago and has a long-term commitment to its Chinese customers. Once fully operational, output from the new state-of-the-art facility will include new derivatives and models specially designed for the Chinese market.

Please click here to read the full press release by Jaguar Land Rover on its first overseas manufacturing facility in China.

UK Partners Round Up - recent headlines August 2014

 

Dear CBI members and partners,

Kindly find two recent partner updates regarding UK-China sport and culture for your reference below.

British Olympic Team participates in Nanjing reception on British creativity

Athletes and coaches from the British Youth Olympic Team (Team GB) took part in a reception in Nanjing that aimed to promote British creativity. British Consul General Brian Davidson welcomed over 300 guests on a night that saw distinguished government, commercial, and sporting guests experience a taste of British creativity.

Guests were able to learn more about the GREAT Festival of Creativity that will be held in Shanghai in March 2015. The Festival will bring together the next generation of creative thinkers, offering businesses a platform to exchange innovative and commercially compelling ideas.

Since 2012, the U.K. has played host to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the U.K. recently saw the culmination of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It was always the plan that the legacy left by the Games should last a lifetime.

Critically, the U.K.’s vision is about helping businesses to build on the reputation secured by the Games over the last two years.

A big part of the legacy is driving the jobs and growth that will aid the U.K.-China creative partnership in being a highly dynamic one.

Please read more here.

Chinese Ambassador speaks at launch of London Autumn Cultural Season 2014

Mr. Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the U.K., spoke at the launch of the London Autumn Cultural Season.

His comments included highlights on events featuring Chinese culture in the U.K. this year, such as the Masterpiece of Chinese Painting 700-1900 at V&A Museum, the Chinese New Year Celebration at Trafalgar Square, the ‘Ming: The Golden Empire’ exhibition at the National Museums of Scotland in June, and the concert performed by the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms in July.

Ambassador Liu also emphasised how China will feature as one of the highlights of the London Autumn Cultural Season this September, when the ‘Ming: 50 years that changed China’ exhibition will be held at the British Museum.

Please read the full speech by Ambassador Liu here.

Unipart secures major China auto contract

 

CBI member Unipart Group recently announced that Unipart (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd. had announced a five-year, full-spectrum aftermarket logistics contract with Chinese car manufacturer Qoros Automotive Co. Ltd., which is located in Changshu.

Unipart Logistics has operated a rapidly expanding but specialised automotive aftersales supply chain business in China since its market entry in 2008. Unipart has since consistently supported significant volume growth for automotive clients into and within China.

Unipart's new business with Qoros is another major step forward in the country for Unipart and an important entry into the domestic Chinese automotive logistics arena.

The new end-to-end contract will see Unipart establish a dedicated Qoros aftersales warehouse in Changshu that will form part of a turnkey solution covering forecasting, scheduling, expediting, vendor management, inventory management, inbound packaging, design and processing, warehousing, transport, customer service, dealer inventory management, reverse logistics, warranty management, and supply chain finance services on the Unipart proprietary ULS systems platform.

Unipart will manage the non-warehouse elements from its Suzhou-based headquarters.

Unipart manages the Qoros aftersales supply chain, which is expected to grow significantly across a rapidly expanding Qoros dealer network in both China and Europe.

Carl Williams, General Manager for Unipart (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., said, "The opportunity to work with Qoros is something that we are hugely excited about. Qoros is a unique company in an exciting and fast moving market, and it has huge growth plans in China. We are very fortunate to be at the start of the journey with Qoros, and be able to design the most appropriate supply chain solution from the ground up whilst leveraging the experience that we have internationally as a Group. We look forward to seeing many Qoros cars on the roads of China and Europe."

Kevin Phelps, Director After Sales, Qoros, said, "We are very pleased to have engaged with Unipart, and are looking forward to using our complimentary skills and expertise to deliver an exceptional aftersales experience to our customers. Both Unipart and Qoros are committed to outstanding customer service, and look forward to working together to build out a successful dealer network."

Please click here to read the full press release by Unipart.

 

INEOS and Sinopec break ground on largest Phenol Acetone plant in China

 

CBI member INEOS announced that INEOS Phenol and Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Company (Sinopec YPC) recently broke ground on the largest Phenol and Acetone plant to ever be built in China.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the 1.2 million tonne development was held in Nanjing Chemical Industry Park (NCIP).

INEOS and Sinopec YPC established a 50/50 joint venture company with a total investment of approximately US$500 million (RMB 3.15 billion), which will generate annual sales revenue of around US$800 million (RMB 4.9 billion). The new plant is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2016.

Harry Deans, CEO of INEOS Phenol, said, "I am extremely pleased with the progress we have made over the summer which now opens the way for us to build the largest Phenol facility in China. Working together with Sinopec YPC we combine a strong, local partner with INEOS' phenol technology.

When completed we will have access to one of the world's fastest growing markets, and this will bring considerable value to our customers. This really is a mutually beneficial partnership that is an important development for INEOS Phenol and for INEOS in China."

Please click here to read the full press release by INEOS.

 

CBI member Tate & Lyle recently announced that it had signed an agreement with Xuzhou Yitong Food Industry Co. Ltd. to form a Sino-Foreign Joint Venture through the acquisition of a 51% equity interest in Jiangsu Howbetter Food Co. Ltd., a leading food systems business in China.

The transaction is subject to governmental approval, which is expected in the autumn.

Olivier Rigaud, President, Specialty Food Ingredients for Tate & Lyle, said, "The combination of Tate & Lyle's global blending capabilities and recipe know-how with Howbetter's strong local expertise and infrastructure provides us with an excellent platform on which to accelerate the growth of our food systems business in China."

Please click here to read the full press release by Tate & Lyle.

CBI Member HSBC opens 150th outlet in China

 

CBI member HSBC recently announced that HSBC China had opened its 150th outlet. Located in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, the new outlet marks a milestone in HSBC's expansion in mainland China.

HSBC China's 150 outlets, which comprise 29 branches and 121 sub-branches, now span 50 cities nationwide. This network connects customers across 21 provinces and municipalities, a coverage representing 88% of China's national GDP and 97% of its global trade.

Peter Wong, HSBC Chief Executive for Asia Pacific and Chairman of HSBC China, said, "We are excited about the latest milestone in HSBC's expansion in mainland China. China is a priority strategic market for the HSBC Group, and the opening of our 150th outlet demonstrates our commitment to growing our already strong presence here—and across Asia Pacific. China's economy has been a period of remarkable development over the past three decades, and we are honoured to be a part of that growth story."

Please click here to read the full press release by HSBC.