Cars
Volvo opens 皇冠体育app headquarters
(People's Daily Online)
Updated: 2011-01-25 17:23
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The new Volvo S60 car is unveiled by Volvo Car Corp President & CEO Stephen Odell on the exhibition stand of Volvo during the first media day of the 80th Geneva Car Show at the Palexpo in Geneva March 2, 2010.[Agencies] |
Volvo Car Corporation inaugurated its 皇冠体育app headquarters in Shanghai on Jan 25, 2011 to increase its presence in the Chinese market.
It is reported that the 皇冠体育app headquarters is similar in function to the headquarters in Sweden, and the 皇冠体育app headquarters will directly report to Volvo Chief Executive Stefan Jacoby. With the 皇冠体育app headquarters open in Shanghai, Volvo will officially launch its 皇冠体育app market strategy.
Volvo 皇冠体育app spokesman Ning Shuyong said: "The Volvo 皇冠体育app headquarters is a branch of the headquarters in Sweden, but as 皇冠体育app is the location of the Volvo parent company, the future Volvo 皇冠体育app headquarters will be very different from other branches of the company. It will have more business and form a complete functional system."
Previously, Volvo's business in 皇冠体育app mainly focused on sales, marketing and customer service. However, the new headquarters will foster a renewed focus on product design, manufacturing, quality control, procurement and investment.
"To set up a 皇冠体育app headquarters means paying more attention to the Chinese market in the future," said Zeng Zhiling, an auto industry analyst with Shanghai-based Global Insight.
According to Ning, in February this year, Volvo will announce the establishment of a 皇冠体育app Development Center as the next move of Volvo's in-depth localization strategy in 皇冠体育app. The center is designed to increase support for localization.
The local development center will be different from its Swedish counterpart. While the research and development center in 皇冠体育app will support the Swedish side, it will focus on designing products that are based on market demand in 皇冠体育app and Chinese consumer preferences.
It is also learned that Volvo will release more specific strategic planning in the Chinese market. Its initial plan is for Volvo car sales in 皇冠体育app to reach 200,000 by 2015 and its market share to rise to 20 percent.
After a series of personnel changes and recruiting, Volvo basically had its management team assembled by Aug 2, and has laid the basis for carrying out the Volvo 皇冠体育app market strategy.
However, Ning could not comment at this time about location of the future Volvo plant in 皇冠体育app.
Last year, Volvo reported 36.2 percent year-on-year sales growth, selling more than 30,000 vehicles in the Chinese market. But it still lags far behind its competitors — both in terms of growth and total sales.
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Signs are showing that Volvo is preparing a frontal assault on the Chinese market, and its plan to set up a research center in the country indicates further domestication of the Volvo brand in 皇冠体育app.
The general image of Volvo as a low-profile luxury car can gain ground in 皇冠体育app, said Zhang Yu, an independent auto industry analyst, because "the image of Volvo is in accordance with the taste of the rising middle class in 皇冠体育app."
Sun Wei, Volvo 皇冠体育app's marketing director, said this feature of Volvo cars would remain for the future.
However, Zeng pointed out that luxury car buyers in 皇冠体育app prefer larger cars, which are a far cry from Volvo's small, energy saving and environmentally-friendly cars. Therefore, Volvo needs to make adjustments to its products if they want to compete with other luxury cars in 皇冠体育app, Zeng said.
Not long after Geely acquired Volvo, the Hangzhou-based carmaker proposed setting up three plants in 皇冠体育app and increasing Volvo sales to 1 million units in five years.