Skip to main content

Volvo bullish in Asian market

The manufacturer Volvo Construction Equipment has major growth plans for its presence in Asia and China in particular.
February 29, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The manufacturer 2394 Volvo Construction Equipment has major growth plans for its presence in Asia and China in particular. The firm has revealed a package of initiatives destined to expand its operations and increase its customer base in Asia. The Asian market, and China in particular, is of immense importance to Volvo Construction Equipment and the firm saw revenues in the region double during 2010. This made Asia Volvo Construction Equipment's most important sales area.

This information was revealed during a speech by the firm's new CEO Pat Olney. He said that as the present policies followed by the firm in Asia have proven successful, there will be no departure from the existing growth strategy for the continent. Olney said, "Volvo is well positioned, both in China and the rest of Asia, to capitalise on the huge market opportunity and growth potential. Our dual brand approach (Volvo and SDLG) offers a unique advantage to meet the needs of a much wider customer base. We will support this approach with products dedicated to this market, using local Chinese knowledge and leveraging an expanded Asian manufacturing and distribution footprint." The company has continued to invest in Asia in recent years.

The company recently announced the introduction of its new Volvo F-Series articulated haulers, G-Series wheel loaders and a China localised EC200B crawler excavator. These come on top of a four model range of China-specific excavators - made and marketed by Volvo's joint venture partner in China, Lingong, under the SDLG brand. In terms of design and manufacturing, investments in China include the establishment of a US$30 million Volvo Technology Centre in Jinan and an $88 million expansion and investment of the company's Linyi facilities. This comes on top of the $30 million investments made in the Volvo excavator facility in Shanghai since 2003. These initiatives are joined by an ambitious programme to expand the company's distribution network in China. "Volvo is committed to supporting the capacity, distribution and product offering in China and throughout Asia," said Olney. "We will achieve this by a comprehensive programme of investments in our Asian industrial operations, a strengthening of our dealer network and an expansion of Volvo and SDLG branded products that are more closely tailored to the specific needs of customers in this region."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Volvo CE’s committed to innovation despite tough global market
    April 12, 2016
    Volvo Construction Equipment is said to be demonstrating its commitment to innovation despite the tough global sales market. The Swedish construction and quarrying equipment giant has this week unveiled its 90tonne Tier 4 Final/Stage IV complaint EC950E hydraulic crawler excavator – the biggest hydraulic crawler excavator it has ever made - and its 55tonne A60H articulated hauler. “I’m very pleased to say that on the first day of the show, we were taking order on this,” said Martin Weissburg, presiden
  • Volvo lines up its SDLG brand for greater global export sales
    January 6, 2017
    Volvo’s Chinese manufacturing subsidiary SDLG is making inroads into the export market and could be destined to play a much more important role in the Swedish group’s global strategy. “As we grow our export strategy there is an opportunity for SDLG to become an increasingly larger piece of our total revenue,” said Martin Weissburg, president of Volvo Construction Equipment.
  • Volvo lines up its SDLG brand for greater global export sales
    April 22, 2015
    Volvo’s Chinese manufacturing subsidiary SDLG is making inroads into the export market and could be destined to play a much more important role in the Swedish group’s global strategy. “As we grow our export strategy there is an opportunity for SDLG to become an increasingly larger piece of our total revenue,” said Martin Weissburg, president of Volvo Construction Equipment.
  • Chinese manufacturers plan to compete globally
    June 18, 2015
    Chinese construction equipment firms have been building their operations in local markets – but are now looking to develop globally - Mike Woof writes In recent years Chinese construction equipment manufacturers have been able to capitalise on local demand in the home market. The rapid rate of expansion of transport infrastructure, fuelled by government spending, led to a massive need for construction machines. The country’s manufacturers have grown rapidly in size, investing enormously in factory capacity