Liugong eyes Europe

Liugong, China's largest wheeled loader manufacturer and the global no. 2 in unit volume terms, is gradually increasing its presence in Europe. Last year saw it set up a parts centre near Rotterdam with a Dutch partner company.

CE visited Liugong's headquarters in Liuzhou, in China's southern Guangxi Province last year, where Quin Weiguo, general manager of the company's overseas business said it had plans to expand its presence in Europe. At the time it had a population of just 150 machines in the region, due to a relatively small number of models that had been CE certified. “We don't have enough products for the EU, so we are developing them fast,” said Mr Qin.

For the time being, Liugong doesn't have any plans to build machines in Europe, although this is a possibility for the future. “We want to build our name first and then grow from there – that's why we're building the parts centre first,” said Mr Qin.

Another challenge for Liugong is finding good dealers in the crowded European market. “We want to provide parts back-up and serves that's as good as local companies. Liugong needs to be a brand that people can trust,” said Mr Qin.

He continued, “It's not easy to find dealers. Some people want to make money in the short term, but we don't want that sort of dealer. We want long-term partners who will build good customer relations and help grow our brand. Our dealers' philosphy is very important, so are their facilities and their abilities to service customers.”