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Construction equipment of China's LiuGong Machinery is seen at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Huang Heng)
Chinese companies have rolled out the red carpet for American consumers atCONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, a huge expo for heavy construction equipment in Las Vegas.
by Julia Pierrepont III, Huang Heng
LAS VEGAS, the United States, March 14 (Xinhua) -- "I've wanted to come to the show for years. So now I'm here to shop and I think the Chinese products are worth checking out." Shane Miller from Washington state told Xinhua.
At the huge expo for heavy construction equipment such as cranes, excavators, dump trucks, drill-rigs, concrete mixers, lifts, aerial platforms, etc., Chinese companies rolled out the red carpet for American consumers at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, which concluded in Las Vegas this Saturday to largely favorable reviews.
REAL ADVANTAGE
Adam S., a concrete contractor from New Mexico, responded well to the products of Sany and Zoomlion. "Their concrete equipment is pretty impressive. They can pipe it in over longer distances and heights than a lot of these other brands. That's a real advantage."
Ashley and Jessica from Ohio, who came to the expo with their husbands, think the Sany's excavators are awesome. "I was attracted by these giant treads. They are so big!" Ashley laughed.
Their husbands, Tim and Erik, are excavating contractors who specialize in wetlands and swamps. "We do a lot of wet work, so these machines are great - they even float."
When asked how he likes Chinese equipment, Tim replied, "Most of these machines, regardless of the brand, seem to use a lot of parts made in China, and they all work fine. I think they need to make the cabs a little bigger over here, though," said the 6'2" inch contractor with a smile.
His advice was echoed by American contractor Brian Van Clief from the eastern U.S. state of Massachusetts.
"Chinese vehicle designs are cool and they're built to take a beating without breaking down," Clief said, "Parts are important though. They should manufacture more of their parts in the U.S. so there's never any delay for repairs and maintenance - like during this Coronavirus craziness."
Peter Cushion, of the United Kingdom who runs the UK dealership for Dingli explained that Dingli manufactures the machines in China, then ships them over to the British isles, to their dealership in the British midlands.
"Dingli is doing well in the UK. Sales are good. The big scissor-lifts are selling well and we're getting a lot of orders for the new products too," he told Xinhua.
When asked if the coronavirus had caused any problems with their supply-chain of parts from China, he replied, "No, that's not been a problem for us at all. We keep a stockpile of inventory in the UK and Ireland for times like this."
SUPPLY CHAIN
The supply chain issue has being resolved by Chinese companies by expanding a nationwide dealer network in the United States and huge local investment.
LiuGong, founded in 1958 as a wheel loader manufacturer, now has 19 product lines across a wide range of industry applications, including customized forestry equipment, demolition excavators, and fleet rentals, including their recent acquisition of Hertz China.
Their strategy shifted to global in 2002 and they now export to 300 dealers in over 100 countries, with 13 overseas distributors, 12 parts distribution centers and four overseas manufacturing facilities, in the United States, UK, Poland and India.
"In the United States, LiuGong continues to be committed to this market, our dealers and our customers," Stacie Adams, Director of Global Communications and Branding for LiuGong told Xinhua, "And to aggressively expanding our capabilities here."
The XE35U-E, China's XCMG's all-electric excavator, is exhibited at the 2020 CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the United States, on March 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Huang Heng)
XCMG, the 6th largest construction equipment firm in the world, now has 15 overseas manufacturing, 40 overseas offices, 300 overseas distributors, including a factory and RD center in the United States.
Steven Chorney, president of the XCMG Crane dealership in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada told Xinhua, "I see XCMG as being very successful in the North American market and we feel very privileged to be partnered with them. I absolutely believe that XCMG from a crane perspective, will be the market leader at some point in time in the North American market."
LOOK TO FUTURE
Founder of Sunward, Professor Qinghua He, said it is Sunward USA's innovation that will enable the company to succeed in the U.S. Market. "We innovate and always look to the future," he told Xinhua, a sentiment vigorously seconded by his energetic CEO, Dick Cai.
"It's all about the customer and giving them what they need to succeed in their business," Cai said.
Wang Xun, President of Shantui USA told Xinhua, "We have a varied product line all over world, but in America we started with the Bull-Dozer line so we could build up an excellent, sophisticated team and do it well."
Currently, China is the largest manufacturer of construction equipment in the world. Export value of Chinese construction machinery in 2019 reached 24.2 billion U.S. dollars, a growth of 3 percent, with total sales, including China's domestic market, of 100 billion U.S. dollars.
And with the advent of 5G technology, operators could operate and control machines from hundred or even thousands of miles away - a real plus for construction projects in hostile climates or war zones.
Chinese industry leaders, LiuGong, Zoomlion, and others, showcased some of their cutting edge Internet of Things (IoT) wireless-connected products at this year's show.
"Bottomline is, the Chinese need to advance in the IoT. A lot of customers want that connectivity now." Albert Cervero, Vice President of American Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), told Xinhua, "For Chinese importers, every type of product has a different type of customer. And they are good at responding to the needs of the U.S. market. Look how far they've come."
