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AMBASSADOR'S VISIT FOSTERS ENGINEERING LINKS WITH CHINA
A visit by the new Chinese Ambassador to the UK to Tyseley engineering firm Grayson Thermal Systems is being hailed as an important step in fostering close trading links between the company and vehicle manufacturers in the Far East.
The ambassador visited the West Midlands on Thursday, 24 June to find out more about Britain’s manufacturing capabilities, and to learn at first hand about companies’ trading experiences with China.
Grayson, which specialises in heat exchange technology for buses, coaches and a variety of specialist vehicles, was chosen for His Excellency Liu Xiaoming’s visit by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the British government organisation that helps UK businesses with their export programmes.
A large proportion of Grayson’s manufacturing output goes to export markets in Europe and North America, and it has plans to expand into other markets, including the Far East. It has recently supplied a prototype cooling module to a customer in China and has three further projects in the pipeline for Chinese vehicle manufacturers.
Mr Xiaoming and his wife were accompanied by a party from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the UK that included Mr Li Feng, Minister Counsellor for Economic & Commercial Section, Mr Pan Hao, Economic and Commercial Attache, and Mr Deng Zhi, Third Secretary Policy Analysis Section. They were attended by Mr John Saville, Director Asia, UKTI, Mr Stephen Philips, CEO, China-Britain Business Council, Mr Stewart Ferguson, West Midlands Representative, China-Britain Business Council, and Mrs Christine Hamilton, Deputy International Trade Director, UKTI West Midlands.
The ambassador’s party met Grayson’s senior management team and toured Grayson’s main aluminium manufacturing and research and development facility.
Mr Xiaoming said that, as the world’s largest vehicle manufacturing nation, China is making large strides in developing low carbon technologies, and that he will do all he can to foster relationships between Chinese manufacturers and those in the UK who can support them in this area.
Grayson managing director Stuart Hateley said: “We were honoured to meet the Ambassador and discuss how we can best capitalise on the new opportunities that are opening up in China.
“Grayson has put its many years of experience in the design and manufacture of cooling systems for buses and specialist vehicles into new projects to develop technically advanced solutions for hybrid drive and Euro 6 compliant vehicles. The Ambassador’s interest in this work underlines our belief that Chinese OEMs will recognise the benefits of new technologies that can reduce vehicles’ carbon footprint.”
“We are delighted that UKTI wanted to hold Grayson up as an example of British engineering expertise.”
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