Xu Huiliang (1^st from right), Vice General Manager of CIMC Tonghua, explains to Xie Zhengyi, Municipal CPC Committee Secretary of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, the progress of the project

CIMC Vehicles (Group) is bringing strong momentum to the economic growth of Yangzhou City with a new wave of innovative projects such as the iconic “super-Magellan digital production line.” Meanwhile, it has set an example for China’s special vehicle industry to ensure the future competitiveness of “Made in China.”

New actions are required in a new era. On December 1, 2017, a delegation of ten people led by Xie Zhengyi, Yangzhou Municipal CPC Committee Secretary, visited Yangzhou CIMC Tonghua Special Vehicles Co., Ltd. (CIMC Tonghua) and learnt about the construction progress of its digital production and R&D complex, with Xu Huiliang, Vice General Manager of CIMC Tonghua, explaining the development of the “super-Magellan digital production line.” Xie Zhengyi said that CIMC Vehicles was quick to realize the trends and challenges in the smart manufacturing sector and build a digital plant that stands for the future direction of the manufacturing industry. He added that CIMC Vehicles has become an important force in driving forward the shift from “Made in Yangzhou” to “Intelligent Manufacturing in Yangzhou” and the development of an innovation hub in Yangzhou.

With 15 years of innovation and growth, CIMC Vehicles is no longer content to be “leading” in China. Instead, it sets its goal as being “excellent.” Such courage and confidence of this pioneer have their roots in opening-up and innovation.  

The CIMC Tonghua digital production and R&D complex is an exemplary project that focuses on the smart manufacturing of special vehicles as a response to “Industry 4.0” and “Made in China 2025.” A modularized flexible production line that is excellent across the globe will be created based on the requirement of “digital model design, automated production, and digital management” with the combination of the approach for manufacturing commercial vehicles and features of special vehicles. “With this line, the productivity will be enhanced by 40% with the delivery period shortened by more than 40%.”

Xie Zhengyi, Municipal CPC Committee Secretary of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, at the site of the “super-Magellan digital production line” project under CIMC Vehicles

A digital plant in the digital era requires the adjustment in the organizational management with the importance of human resources becoming evident. “I believe that CIMC Vehicles has offered its technical personnel the opportunity to realize their personal dreams through this plant,” said Li Xiaofu, Deputy Commander of the super-Magellan project, eloquently, “As technical persons, we shall be daring to use our imagination and be deft in practices so that we could bring new value. Technical persons owe 80% of their achievements to their imagination and those at CIMC Vehicles are confident in bringing more surprises to the world with ‘Made by CIMC.’”

So, how can people be supported in their development and the release of their creativity? “We are working on a new organizational structure in which people previously called blue-collar workers are now the operators and those called maintenance workers before are now mechanics. The reason why we change the titles is that even the change of one word stands for a new proposition.” Li Xiaofu argued that it would be more helpful to the enhancement of the efficiency of the manufacturing execution system (MES) by adopting a personnel management system guided by technologies. He also disclosed that the equipment for the plant would be installed and debugged at the end of 2017 and the plant was expected to be completed and put into production in March 2018.

After the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Yangzhou has shifted its focus to new growth points in new economic sectors such as smart manufacturing and modern logistics. This has brought great inspiration to the people of CIMC Tonghua with new supports in terms of policies to this area. This is the development zone of Yangzhou where the new project of CIMC Tonghua sits and an area that accommodates the major force and a key front for driving forward the economic transformation and upgrading and the leapfrogging development of the entire city. “We used to look at Germany for developing the manufacturing sector but in the future, Yangzhou is where we should watch closely.” Chen Xi, Director of the Administrative Committee of Yangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, said that the development of new projects was accelerated in this area and the tracking and service mechanisms were improved to facilitate the early launch of production and realization of designed capabilities of major projects. Xu Huiliang, Vice General Manager of CIMC Tonghua, said that CIMC Tonghua was highly regarded by governments of Yangzhou and the development zone for taking the opportunity of relocation to embark on the transformation and upgrading and “We will live up to their expectations and speed up the project, making our contribution to the economic development of Yangzhou and the rising of China’s special vehicle industry.”