Founded in 1996, Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Jifeng") is an enterprise deeply engaged in automotive seat headrests and armrests. At the beginning of its establishment, it opened a cooperation with FAW-Volkswagen by matching the Audi 100 headrest, and has grown and developed with the company and help of FAW-Volkswagen for 25 years. As a supplier partner who works with FAW-Volkswagen for a win-win situation, Jifeng was awarded two awards of "In the Same Boat" and "Cooperation in Tackling Tough Problems" on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of FAW-Volkswagen, which is undoubtedly the best affirmation of the past cooperation between the two sides.
In the eyes of Xia Guohai, director of the assembly plant, an "old employee" who has worked for Jifeng for 16 years, FAW-Volkswagen can play a pivotal role in Jifeng's growth. "Unlike other customers, FAW-Volkswagen is a veritable 'strategic partner' for us. Whether it is the company or my personal growth, it is inseparable from the overall guidance and help of FAW-Volkswagen. ”
Ningbo Jifeng assembly factory director Xia Guohai
This also made Jifeng Commercial Director Zhang Peng deeply feel. He admitted that Ji Feng thought that headrests and armrests were relatively small parts at the beginning of its establishment, and it was good to do it step by step, and the research and development field at that time was a blank piece of paper. However, in the cooperation, FAW-Volkswagen suggested that as a private enterprise, in order to be professional in the fierce competition of the market segment, to achieve the highest cost performance and even have the right to speak, they must do research and development, and they must have their own testing and verification capabilities.
Ningbo Jifeng Commercial Director Zhang Peng
In this way, inspired by FAW-Volkswagen, Jifeng's R&D team was established in 2009. In order to support product development, a laboratory was built with great efforts, and in 2016 it passed the joint review of Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen. In the process of preparing for the establishment of the laboratory, FAW-Volkswagen also gave strong support and assistance. For example, how to build the experimental system, how to interpret the experimental standards, how to do the various experiments, etc., all of which are completed step by step under the guidance of FAW-Volkswagen engineers.
At present, Jifeng's headrest and armrest experiments can be completed independently, so that it can not only better ensure the shortest development cycle, but also synchronize with FAW-Volkswagen to do some localization development. In addition, the control of product quality can also be more timely and precise.
In 2015, Jifeng designed Volkswagen and Audi's first "sleeping headrest". In the past, products designed by Chinese private enterprises were rarely recognized. "We are very excited to see Jifeng's products recognized by Volkswagen and Audi. For safety parts, it is really difficult to do a series of experiments. The first time we saw the foreign drawings with the name of a Chinese supplier and the name of Jifeng, we were excited and proud. Zhang Peng said excitedly.
In order to help FAW-Volkswagen and its supplier partners work together, cooperate and share, FAW-Volkswagen also spares no effort in personnel training. Zhang Peng said that FAW-Volkswagen has a systematic supplier training plan, and will send the training plan to suppliers on time every year, so that suppliers can choose time and place to participate according to their needs. For example, he also said that in July 2015, FAW-Volkswagen came to Jifeng, not only to train Jifeng's employees, but also to gather all FAW-Volkswagen suppliers around Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai to Jifeng for a one-and-a-half-day training. FAW-Volkswagen did this to ensure that suppliers and R&D teams can work together to establish efficient information channels for each project from start to finish and communicate the progress of the entire project in a timely manner.
From less than 200 employees, Ningbo Jifeng has developed into an industry leader with many branches and laboratories at home and abroad, with a total of 3,200 employees. "I really thank FAW-Volkswagen for daring us to make mistakes, trial and error, and let us grow gradually." As Xia Guohai has repeatedly emphasized, along the way, Jifeng people's biggest feeling is that with the wholehearted belief and full support of FAW-Volkswagen, supplier partners are willing to devote themselves to product research and development.
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