K. Hartwall has recently opened a new sales arm in China, K. Hartwall (Suzhou) Trading Co., Ltd., only one hour from Shanghai. The reason for establishing the new organisation is that we see China as a fast growing market and the place to be in the coming years.
In the team we have Tony Zhao, National Sales Manager for Lean, who is in daily contact with customers, assisted by Hellen Wang, telemarketing and customer acquisition. Procurement and Quality Assurance will handled by Allen Xia and Sylon Ma who will ensure the high quality of our products. Administration and Market Services will continue to be run by Lowaca Lin.
K.Hartwall has been manufacturing in China through a tight network of partners since 2009. Now it is time not only to produce in China but to sell to the local market.
The initial focus will be the automotive industry, car manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers. China has the largest car market in the world producing more than 22 million passenger cars each year and an annual growth close to 10%. These customers will be potential users of our Lean Modular Logistics Solution which is designed to improve the work flow, reduce manual handling and inventory levels. This solution is already sold to the main OEMs and tier-1 suppliers in Europe.
But we don’t just have our sights set on the automotive industry. The consumer market is also growing fast. We are in preliminary discussions with a number of retailers to help them solve their logistics challenges, and our carriers are being tested in the field.
We really believe we have what it takes to improve our customers’ logistics efficiency in China and the rest of Asia in the longer run.
Christer Bauer, General Manager
K. Hartwall (Suzhou) Trading Co., Ltd
