BAIC races to higher goals, new energy autos

Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC), one of China's biggest automobile companies, hosted a business presentation and career fairat the Westin Seattle on Dec 10, offering career opportunities to job hunters, as well asexploring possibilities of forming strategic partnerships with members of the American business community.

Led by BAIC board member Li Zhili, the Chinese delegation, consisting of more than 10 delegates, had already visited Chicago and Detroit earlier this month, Seattle being the last stop on its US visit.

"This is the third year since BAIC started hiring overseas talents," Li said. "We chose Seattle to host the job fair this year as we have seen the talent pool of exceptional leaders in the automobile industry - such as engineers and scientists - in the area is great."

As China's automotive industry leaders focus on the research and development of automobile enginesandparts, and expand their global operations as mandated by the latest five-year plan, Chinese companies in general are experiencing a shortage of high-level innovation talent.

At the same time, each year a large number of Chinese with expertise in science and technology leave China to work in developed countries. According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, as of 2011, 1.427 million Chinese nationals were studying abroad or had remained overseas after their studies were completed.

"Accomplished US graduates and experts represent a significant potential talent source for us," said Gao Yuan, BAIC's director of human resources. "Through our overseas job fairs, we expect to find appropriately skilled talent to strengthen our brand and expand global markets. In Detroit, I was successful in finding the right talent. "

BAIC has announced in a press release that it plans to make "world-class" vehicles by 2025 and as part of fulfilling that mission, they are considering establishingbusinesses in US cities in the near future.Last year BAIC hired Italian Ferrari sportscar designer Leonardo Fioravanti as a consultant to help build its brand. This year BAIC also established the BAIC International Development Co, which engages in the import of technology, equipment, and whole-vehicles.

Headquartered in Beijing, BAIC is principally engaged in research and development and manufacturing of automobile and parts, manufacturing, trade in services and investment and financing. BAIC's product categories in China consist of high-, medium- and low-end sedans, off-road vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Their vehicle and parts manufacturing cover Beijing, Shandong, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Chongqing, Xinjiang, and Liaoning and employ 92,000 workers.

In 2012, during a low-growth macro environment in the automotive market, BAIC's numbers still increased. Their sales exceeded 1.7 million cars, sales income reached 210.5 billion yuan, and profits exceeded 17 billion yuan, ranking them fourth in the industry, with their revenue and profit growth in first place among the six major domestic automobile groups.

Meanwhile, in Fortune's Global 500, BAIC Group ranks 336th in the world and 54th in China, reaching its goal of making Fortune Global 500 list before the end of 12th Five-Year Plan and ahead of schedule.

BAIC says it plans to invest 1.7 billion yuan ($272 million) in research and production of new-energy cars and to construct three plants for new-energy vehicles before 2015 that will cover an area of 300 hectares and have a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles a year.

lindadeng@chinadailyusa.com