Above image: Max Torkar takes in the sights of Shanghai.
DEUTZ Australia Managing Director Craig Chamberlin and Finance and General Manager Max Torkar were in Shanghai in late January to discuss DEUTZ’s plans in China, the world’s largest individual engine market.
They met senior DEUTZ colleagues, learned about China’s potential and managed to return before coronavirus became an issue.
The brief trip was hectic, but they did enjoy the city’s famed waterfront area and made some important connections.
Max and Craig left Australia on a Thursday and were back by Monday after meetings on Friday and Saturday. Door to door, the trip to Shanghai took 18 hours.
After preliminary meetings on Friday, they attended the DEUTZ Asia annual meeting on Saturday, 18 January. It discussed opportunities in China, which is the world’s largest individual engine market.
DEUTZ AG is restructuring its market presence in China via partnerships with three major Chinese companies – SANY, HORIZON and BEINEI.
The joint venture with SANY, China’s largest construction equipment group, came into effect at the end of December. Initially, the plan is to build around 75,000 new engines in 2022 at a new factory in Changsha, capital of the province of Hunan.
Production is scheduled to start in 2021.
Max says the trip was a good opportunity to meet DEUTZ Board of Management Chairman Dr Frank Hiller and many international colleagues. They also learned about progress on production facilities that may provide engines for Australia.
“The Annual meeting included most of the employees coming together from the China office, as well as key employees from Australia, Singapore, Korea, Japan and India,” Max says.
“The main topic included Asia/China achievements and the outlook. DEUTZ is investing significant resources into China with offices in Beijing and Shanghai and our visit also coincided with a signing ceremony with SANY.”
While it was certainly hectic, Max and Craig managed a quick look at some of Shanghai’s famed historic buildings.
“Most of the time was in meetings, but we did manage to go for a walk around the city including The Bund, the famed waterside walkway with city views,” Max says.
Thankfully coronavirus was not an issue yet, so they arrived home safe and well. “We were more worried about drinking too much Baijiu, the traditional local brew made from grain,” Max says.