Gebrüder Weiss China: Automotive logistics joint venture starts up

Automotive logistics focus: Gebrüder Weiss and Jilin International Transport Corporation to start with over 200 employees at four sites in China

Gebrüder Weiss is strengthening its presence in China by founding a joint venture dedicated primarily to automotive logistics with Jilin International Transport Corporation (JIT). The new company goes under the name of Gebrüder Weiss Automotive Logistics and is geared to the needs of the fast growing automotive manufacturing and supplier industry in China. Each of the two partners holds 50 per cent of the shares in the new venture.

Following a one-year preparation phase, Gebrüder Weiss Automotive Logistics will officially begin operations at the beginning of September 2014. The company offers the full service portfolio of a modern logistics provider based on European standards. In addition to land, air and sea freight, the prime focus of Gebrüder Weiss Automotive Logistics will be on the areas of warehouse logistics, production logistics, customs clearance and distribution. Gebrüder Weiss Automotive Logistics currently employs over 200 people at four sites.

Alongside the company’s head office in Shanghai, its operations will be mainly concentrated in Changchun. With a population of 2.5 million inhabitants, Changchun is one of the major industrial cities in northern China with a large number of metalworking companies and is seen as the cradle of China’s automotive industry. Manufacturers such Volkswagen, Audi and Toyota operate joint ventures there which produce hundreds of thousands of vehicles on an annual basis. Gebrüder Weiss Automotive Logistics has further sites in Chengdu and Foshan, which are also emerging Chinese automotive industry clusters.

“Our corporate group is a partner to the European automotive industry and is present in numerous Asian markets under the Weiss-Röhlig brand,” explains Heinz Senger-Weiss, Board Member of Gebrüder Weiss. “Together with our Chinese partner, we shall now be consolidating strong areas of expertise and supporting our customers as they continue to grow their business in China.”

The board of directors of the joint venture is headed by Heinz Senger-Weiss and made up of Yongquan Chen and Jeffrey Yang (both Gebrüder Weiss) along with JIT’s Hao Tian and Xiangdong Huang. The latter bears local responsibility for the new operation as joint owner and managing director. Huang explained the motivation for setting up the joint venture as follows: “The western know-how of Gebrüder Weiss will enable us to further expand our strong position in the Chinese automotive sector.”

Gebrüder Weiss has already been present in China for over 20 years in collaboration with Weiss-Röhlig. Under the direction of Yongquan Chen, there are currently 272 employees working at 16 sites offering transport and logistics services focusing on air and sea freight. Jilin International Transport Corporation (JIT) has been active as a logistics provider in the Chinese automotive sector for 14 years. In addition to its workforce, the company will be contributing approximately 30,000 m² of logistics space to the joint venture.

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Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com