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German takes company from zero to 1,000
By Lu Xiaofeng and Xu Wei |
April 25, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FUCHS China has undergone considerable development since 1996 when the company was making near-zero contribution to the Fuchs Group. Now, owing to the efforts of Klaus Hartig, "Helmsman" of Fuchs China, the company ranks third place among the 45 Fuchs plants around the globe.
In 1996, Hartig was sent to work in Jiading as the general manager by the Fuchs Group headquarters. At that time Hartig confronted one challenge after another as the Fuchs manufacturing plant in Jiading had just been built. In his eyes, the biggest difficulty lay in the different ways of working between German and Chinese staffs, a result of cultural differences.
"When there was a problem my Chinese colleagues used to put it aside," says Hartig, "But our way is to face the problem."
To his delight, the Chinese staff developed more responsibility for their work. Hartig himself also understood the traditional Chinese concepts more and more. He now has much better communication with his Chinese colleagues.
As one of the earliest foreign-funded enterprises entering Jiading, Fuchs China enjoys a leading position in the lubricant industry by providing a great variety of products and services. In recent years, its sales amount and tax revenue have achieved an average annual increase of 20 percent.
Last year the enterprise even made a 33 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Its total sales made a 10 percent contribution to the Fuchs Group.
Fuchs China now ranks third place among all the Fuchs companies around the globe and is expected to surpass Fuchs USA, currently the second place holder, in two years.
Early in the year, the establishment of Fuchs Lubricants Regional Headquarters (East Asia) was approved, and Hartig is managing the Asian region as executive vice president.
"China is currently the world's largest lubricant market and our business in Asia is also growing at a rapid pace," Hartig says, "We will maintain and further enhance the development of Fuchs regional business."
When it comes to the changes that have taken place in Jiading over the past 10 years, Hartig says that it is incredible.
"I would like to give two figures to describe such dramatic changes: zero to 1,000," he adds.
On Hartig's first visit to Nanxiang many years ago, there were no proper roads and few cars in the neighborhood of the plant.
"At that time whenever I met a foreigner in downtown Shanghai, I had this overwhelming impulse to invite him for coffee," he recalls. As one of the smaller number of foreigners in China in the 1990s, Hartig felt so lonely those early days.
"Now Jiading has convenient transportation with the Metro Line 11, expressways in every direction and a bus network," Hartig says. "But the age-old Nanxiang Old Street doesn't change much. I am happy to see it well preserved."
He also has his own opinion and advice for China's development.
"Over the past 15 years, China has undergone an unprecedented development which took Germany 60 to 70 years to achieve," he adds. "However, the environment should not be the price to be paid for the economic development. Fortunately China has been aware of that and the concept of sustainable development is put forward."
When asked "How long have you been away from your hometown?" Hartig always answers, "Shanghai is also my home." In 1996 he took his wife to Shanghai. In 2003, their daughter was born and also stay with them in the city. Hartig dubs himself as "new Shanghainese" who speaks Chinese, German and even some Shanghai dialect.
"I now have a good career, a sweet family, what more should I ask for?" he says. "I can't imagine what my life would be like if I leave the city."
In 1996, Hartig was sent to work in Jiading as the general manager by the Fuchs Group headquarters. At that time Hartig confronted one challenge after another as the Fuchs manufacturing plant in Jiading had just been built. In his eyes, the biggest difficulty lay in the different ways of working between German and Chinese staffs, a result of cultural differences.
"When there was a problem my Chinese colleagues used to put it aside," says Hartig, "But our way is to face the problem."
To his delight, the Chinese staff developed more responsibility for their work. Hartig himself also understood the traditional Chinese concepts more and more. He now has much better communication with his Chinese colleagues.
As one of the earliest foreign-funded enterprises entering Jiading, Fuchs China enjoys a leading position in the lubricant industry by providing a great variety of products and services. In recent years, its sales amount and tax revenue have achieved an average annual increase of 20 percent.
Last year the enterprise even made a 33 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Its total sales made a 10 percent contribution to the Fuchs Group.
Fuchs China now ranks third place among all the Fuchs companies around the globe and is expected to surpass Fuchs USA, currently the second place holder, in two years.
Early in the year, the establishment of Fuchs Lubricants Regional Headquarters (East Asia) was approved, and Hartig is managing the Asian region as executive vice president.
"China is currently the world's largest lubricant market and our business in Asia is also growing at a rapid pace," Hartig says, "We will maintain and further enhance the development of Fuchs regional business."
When it comes to the changes that have taken place in Jiading over the past 10 years, Hartig says that it is incredible.
"I would like to give two figures to describe such dramatic changes: zero to 1,000," he adds.
On Hartig's first visit to Nanxiang many years ago, there were no proper roads and few cars in the neighborhood of the plant.
"At that time whenever I met a foreigner in downtown Shanghai, I had this overwhelming impulse to invite him for coffee," he recalls. As one of the smaller number of foreigners in China in the 1990s, Hartig felt so lonely those early days.
"Now Jiading has convenient transportation with the Metro Line 11, expressways in every direction and a bus network," Hartig says. "But the age-old Nanxiang Old Street doesn't change much. I am happy to see it well preserved."
He also has his own opinion and advice for China's development.
"Over the past 15 years, China has undergone an unprecedented development which took Germany 60 to 70 years to achieve," he adds. "However, the environment should not be the price to be paid for the economic development. Fortunately China has been aware of that and the concept of sustainable development is put forward."
When asked "How long have you been away from your hometown?" Hartig always answers, "Shanghai is also my home." In 1996 he took his wife to Shanghai. In 2003, their daughter was born and also stay with them in the city. Hartig dubs himself as "new Shanghainese" who speaks Chinese, German and even some Shanghai dialect.
"I now have a good career, a sweet family, what more should I ask for?" he says. "I can't imagine what my life would be like if I leave the city."
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