China now key part of Flender Group's global production network

TIANJIN — Flender Group, a leading global supplier of mechanical drive systems based in Bocholt, Germany, will continue to maintain its firm presence in China to serve customers and markets, Gou Jianhui, chairman of the board and CEO of Flender Ltd China, told Xinhua News Agency during the Summer Davos forum in June.

Themed "Entrepreneurship for a New Era", the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as Summer Davos, took place from June 24-26 in North China's Tianjin municipality.

The event attracted over 1,700 leading figures from more than 90 countries and regions, and focused on global economic trends, technological innovation, industrial transformation and China's macroeconomic outlook.

Having attended the forum three times, Gou described it as a vital platform for enterprises to track economic, industrial and technological shifts, improve long-term planning and continuously optimize business strategies.

"Through exchanges with global political and business leaders, experts and scholars, we have keenly grasped long-term market shifts and industrial trends, enabling us to make more forward-looking strategic decisions to remain strongly positioned in China while serving our customers and markets," said Gou.

The 125-year-old German enterprise remains optimistic about the Chinese market. Gou highlighted that China's vast market scale, rising consumer demand and pro-foreign investment policies provide fertile ground for enterprise growth.

From a single workshop with a dozen employees, Flender Ltd China, located in Tianjin, has grown into Flender Group's largest manufacturing base for gearboxes and generators outside Germany. It now occupies 255,000 square meters, employs over 2,000 people and attracts a total investment of 3 billion yuan ($418 million).

Gou attributed this success to the resilience and vitality of China's economy. "When we first entered the Chinese market, our operations were minimal, primarily serving international clients. Today, China has become an important part of Flender Group's global production network," Gou noted.

Over the past three decades, Flender has carried out 10 rounds of expansion and reinvestment in China, including three consecutive years of increased investment since 2021, strategically positioning itself in China's industrial and wind power sectors.

Flender has also ramped up joint research and development with Chinese enterprises, enhancing its technical capabilities and innovation strength. Today, the company is accelerating its digital transformation to boost product and technological innovation while reducing raw material and energy consumption. Many of its products developed in China have already entered mass production.

"China's dedication to mutually beneficial cooperation, trade liberalization and investment facilitation ensures market stability and predictability, instilling confidence in investors to pursue long-term China strategies," said Gou. "Investing in China means investing in the future. The Chinese market holds great possibilities, awaiting enterprises to further explore and cultivate."

Xinhua