Grupo Antolin has constructed an enormous presence in China over the previous 20 years. In 2022, the Spanish provider’s gross sales income in Asia Pacific, the place China is its key market, rose 24 % to high 730 million euros ($806 million).
Ramon Sotomayor, CEO of Antolin, talked to Automotive News China through the Shanghai auto present on how the corporate is positioned within the Chinese market. The questions and solutions through the interview had been condensed and edited for readability.
Q: What type of presence has Antolin inbuilt China?
A: We entered the Chinese market in 2003. So, it is going to be 20 years this 12 months. We presently have a robust presence because of 25 crops, three technical facilities, and greater than 3,600 folks working in China for Antolin.
For Antolin, China is a key market contemplating the related position that this nation performs within the automotive trade. Our power in China is that we’ve got the technological functionality to ship probably the most full and state-of-the-art portfolio of merchandise and options for car interiors in the marketplace.
Q: What merchandise does your organization provide in China?
A: Basically, we provide all our merchandise and options right here in China such us headliners, doorways, instrument panels and lighting. So, for some clients we make the headliners, for others, the doorways, and for a lot of of them we make the instrument panels, a enterprise which may be very robust in China. We have an in depth know-how vary that we’re honing with new capabilities in electronics, lighting, and HMI (human-machine interface) options.
Q: What type of merchandise are producing robust income for Antolin in China?
A: For us a vital enterprise is the entire cockpit and consoles in China. We see numerous development within the cockpit and IPs (instrument panels) but in addition in our electronics and lighting enterprise. Lighting, electronics and HMI options are very robust in our product portfolio. We see that lighting and electronics for HMI are very a lot in demand by clients so we’ll see the largest development in that space.
Q: Who are Antolin’s important purchasers on this market?
A: We work with mainly all of the gamers, Chinese manufacturers and likewise worldwide manufacturers. We have premium manufacturers (in our purchasers), however we additionally provide quantity manufacturers. There is a minimum of considered one of our merchandise in 23 % of the automobiles offered in China.
Q: What is the largest development within the growth of automotive interiors nowadays?
A: The integration of know-how has accelerated amazingly. Our conventional merchandise are the IPs, the doorways and the headliner. Now all these conventional merchandise are supported by know-how. We are growing options that combine all of the know-how. We’re taking these merchandise even additional. For instance, the middle console is gaining a giant position within the automobile and can also be integrating numerous know-how. And then electrical automobiles additionally give us extra alternatives as a result of the central console can transfer. You do not have the shaft so you may transfer the central console again and ahead. You can see it right here in our sales space on the auto present.
Q: Compared with different markets, do you see any developments that are particularly robust right here in China?
A: We see a really robust development which is the inclusion of know-how throughout the automobile. The introduction of know-how within the interiors of automobiles in China is greater than anyplace else. When we do a program for a Chinese model, we’ve got to develop it a lot quicker than elsewhere.
And the Chinese market is extremely receptive to something new that is likely to be taking place elsewhere. On high of that, numerous new issues are being developed within the Chinese market. So, for us, we’ve got the right mixture of bringing expertise and studying from this market on the identical time.
In addition, our information within the growth of sustainable options is a chance for purchasers in China. They can make the most of all of the developments we do in different markets in search of to scale back the burden of our merchandise or improve recyclability.
Q: How massive is China in your world operations, in case you have a look at the income?
A: At this second, Asia is 16 % of our world income and we count on this area to signify 20 % of our whole gross sales within the close to future. And China is vital to that development. As a part of our transformation plan, China is the market with greater potential when it comes to future development. We consider that we’re nicely positioned to make the most of development alternatives right here on account of our present footprint of high-quality manufacturing amenities within the area.
Source: www.autonews.com