NANJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- In a sprawling, state-of-the-art production base in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, sophisticated home products designed and manufactured by Europe's leading home appliance maker BSH, instantly caught the eyes of visitors.
These goods include hoods with self-cleaning designs and new gas stove and washing machine models.
Welcoming a group of journalists who toured BSH's production base and R&D center in Nanjing earlier this month, Yao Yong, chairman of BSH Electrical Appliances (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of BSH, said that BSH, which manufacturers home appliances for well-known brands such as Bosch and Siemens, had begun its growth journey in the Chinese market more than three decades ago.
As a globally leading home appliance manufacturer, BSH first entered the Chinese market in 1994. Through continuous investment and production expansion, the group has gradually established a comprehensive services network in the country. It has also established two production bases in Chuzhou and Nanjing. Chuzhou is located in Anhui Province in east China.
Introducing details of the group's background to reporters, Yao highlighted the BSH Global R&D Center inaugurated in Nanjing in 2024, the year that marked 30 years of operations in China for this group. According to Yao, as the group's largest comprehensive R&D center worldwide, the center in China is important for both the country and the world -- and will serve as an innovation engine set to give the company an edge in global competition through the development of innovative products.
Yao said that the center's inauguration also reflects the company's recognition of the huge consumption potential presented by the Chinese market and the abundance of talent and innovation in the world's second-largest economy.
"China is an innovation highland," Yao noted, explaining that apart from automotive manufacturing and artificial intelligence, China's innovations were also emerging consistently in the home appliance industry.
Yao said the center has carried out in-depth cooperation with many local universities, including Nanjing University, Southeast University and Jiangnan University, all in Jiangsu Province, and such cooperation has helped the firm improve both R&D levels and product quality.
"Our confidence in long-term development in China is firm. We hope that through our efforts, we can create and produce more quality products for Chinese consumers," Yao said.
According to Chen Chao, general manager of BSH Electrical Appliances (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., opportunities stemming from the consumption upgrade in China and the country's pro-consumption policies, such as the consumer goods trade-in programs, will provide support for the company's revenue growth. "Given the same budget, consumers tend to choose higher-end brands and seek higher quality. I think the consumption upgrade in China will make our products more appealing to consumers," Chen said.
Predicting an expanding market for especially high-end home appliance products, Chen added that the company is trying to utilize the Chinese government's relevant policies, make adjustments accordingly, and capitalize on the benefits that these policies can bring to the company.
Yao held the same view, saying that BSH products are exactly in line with the consumption upgrade. "BSH offers products ranging from mid- to high-end to top luxury. For instance, the Bosch brand focuses on family health and life quality, while Siemens focuses on advanced technologies and sci-tech innovations."
Regarding production cost control, both Yao and Chen were of the view that the supply chain strength in China has provided the company with an advantage in global competition. Currently, the Nanjing subsidiary sources the majority of raw materials and components within China.
"From the viewpoint of supply chain, China offers a price advantage in terms of raw materials, and thanks to this advantage, we will be able to gain an edge in terms of production cost control in our competition with global peers, and this will result in our company's rising share in the global market," Chen said.
The supportive local business environment is also crucial to the firm's development, according to the company executives. For instance, site selection, construction, project application and administrative approval of the R&D center have all been very smooth, thanks to support from the local government, Chen said.
"Nanjing is fertile ground suitable for investment and business development. We can see that the Nanjing municipal government and the local district government are indeed very open, inclusive and efficient," Yao said. "Responding to every request and not disturbing when there is no need" has been a hallmark of the service provided by the local government, he added.
A single purchase
