New project which was planned to be launched in Southeast Asia, settled in Economic & Technological Development Area in end ——

Nantong the

By Chen Ke

n 26 September, Autoliv phase 2 project whose total investment was no less than 100 million U.S. dollars went into operation successfully.

Autoliv is the largest automobile safety system and accessories manufacturer in the world, leading in fields especially air bag production in the world. In 2013, the established multinational enterprise planned to invest in Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area, established Autoliv (China) Automotive Safety System Co., Ltd., which sells automobile air bags.

As the production capacity keeps increasing, Autoliv’s headquarters in Sweden planned to invest and build new projects in Southeast Asia as early as 2019. however, influenced by the epidemic, uncertainties increased and the project was progressed slowly. At that time, Autoliv Nantong plant was producing at full capacity, production capacity needed to be expanded urgently.

Grabbing the opportunity, investment promotion team of investment promotion department of Nantong Economic & Technological Development Area and regional director of Autoliv China contacted, and followed up quickly.

‘To win the opponent in ‘PK’, we faced a rather large challenge.’ director of investment promotion department of Nantong Economic & Technological Development Area Yang Jie said that in the aspect of global strategy, Nantong plant was not the first choice of Autoliv’s headquarters in Sweden. ‘In terms of cost including human resources and land, Southeast Area has more advantages. And Southeast area projects evaluation and comparison had already been started.’

However, Nantong Economic & Technological Development Area did not give up easily. Knowing that the owner paid attention to the progress speed and efficiency of the project, to cater with the demands of production capacity increase, Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area said soon that: they could ensure the land of the project, provide new land areas near the plant of phase 1, and assist the project’s promotion and implementation with full strength.

In fact, another project was preparing to settle on that piece of new land. Nantong Economic and Technological Development area discussed with the project party at fast pace, chose another land for them, to ensure that the new land area would belong to Autoliv Nantong plant phase 2 project.

Efficient work style, and sincerity in doing what is said, won the ‘hearts’ of Autoliv headquarters. In the end of February that year, the board of Autoliv Sweden agreed that the new project would settle in Nantong. On 20 April that year the agreement was signed. After 10 days, relevant investment increase procedures were completed.

Efficiency continues.

‘After preliminary preparation, we had ‘five certificates together’ including land planning, project planning and construction permit in the end of August.’ Xiang Ruiqi, general manager of Autoliv (China) Automotive Safety System Co., Ltd. was impressed by this.

There is another reason for ‘second time cooperation’. Xiang Ruiqi said frankly, that was the complete industrial chain of Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area. ‘There are excellent upstream and downstream industrial chains here, which provide great convenience for enterprise’s development.’ he explained with an example that, the raw materials of production of the enterprise, could be obtained from enterprises located in Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area including Toray. Only this item, could save a lot of costs including logistics and time.