On April 19, 2024, the European Union Chamber of Commerce South China (hereinafter referred to as "South China Branch") held the press conference of the Chamber of Commerce report "Risk Awareness: The Political Significance of Economic Security", the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and the 2024 European Enterprises in China Awards Ceremony on April 17. Based on in-depth interviews and extensive research, the report details the different approaches taken by the EU, China and the US to manage threats to their respective economies, as well as the actions taken by European companies to build resilience and mitigate growing risks in China. The South China Chapter presented trophies to six European companies in China in recognition of their outstanding contributions in the past year, among which Utili (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co., Ltd., located in Nansha, Guangzhou, won the Best Performance Award for European Enterprises in China (Large Multinational Company).
The Italian headquarters of the Utili Group was founded in 1959 and is located in Asti, Turin, Italy. Utilili (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co., Ltd. is located in Nansha (hereinafter referred to as "Nansha Factory"), registered in 2005, and has been 19 years so far. The Nansha factory covers an area of more than 10,000 square meters, and in order to improve the existing stamping process, a high-tonnage traditional stamping machine with an automatic feeding system and an imported hydraulic fine blanking machine have been introduced. In addition, the Nansha plant also produces a large number of high-precision and high-quality products through the introduction of high-quality COORD3 three-coordinate measuring equipment and the latest generation of stamping equipment, which are sold all over the world.
"Nineteen years ago, I came to Nansha and landed in Nansha because I took a fancy to the port of Nansha, which made it more convenient for us to ship the products back to Italy by sea. Nineteen years have passed, Nansha has changed, we have changed, Italy has less than 10% of our market share, and our larger market and customers are in China. Correspondingly, our strategy has been adjusted, and the company is now committed to investing and expanding into the Chinese and Asian markets, with the goal of becoming the partner of choice for more advanced technology solutions, rather than just a supplier of mechanical parts. Massimo Trionte, CEO of Utilly (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co., Ltd. China, told reporters in an interview with reporters.
In addition to thanking the European Chamber of Commerce for the recognition of the award for the best performance of European companies in China (large multinational companies), Marsimo also emphasized: "From my personal and company perspective, I am very grateful to the Chinese government, especially the Nansha District Government. They have created an ideal environment for Italian companies investing in China, allowing us to successfully integrate into it for more than a decade and be part of the local economy and community. That's why the company has grown stronger since we set up a factory in Nansha in 2005, and why we are determined to continue to invest in China. ”
Ma Simo also revealed that although today's global economic environment is not stable, Utili (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co., Ltd. has decided to continue to increase investment in 2024 after analysis and consideration, and plans to invest an additional 15 million yuan in the Nansha factory to set up a high-tech fine blanking press to ensure that more original products can be developed and produced in the future. "Last year, China's auto sales grew rapidly around the world, but many supporting companies struggled with production capacity constraints and could not keep up with the development. Seeing this, we decided to increase our capital in Nansha, Guangzhou, which also gave the company the best net profit performance ever in the first quarter of 2024. ”
Located in Nansha, Guangzhou, the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Utilili (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co., Ltd. is also increasingly feeling the convenience brought by the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area, especially the automobile industry chain and supply chain here are so developed, the cooperation has become easier and more efficient, and all upstream and downstream have also worked together to further optimize the local industry.
"Because the supply chain here is so complete, we can safely get parts and raw materials from upstream enterprises, and even work with upstream enterprises to create supply procedures, product processes, and quality improvements, so that the company's production efficiency and quality can continue to improve." In the downstream sector, we all share the same goal of expanding customers and markets, so we work closely together to accurately anticipate market trends and customer preferences, so as to produce products that make our customers more satisfied and capture more market share. With the same goals, shared resources, and mutual benefit, we feel very comfortable in the local industrial ecosystem. Marsmo said.
(Liu Liqing Correspondent: Luo Ruixian)