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发帖数: 920 | | L***s
发帖数: 920 | 2 听朋友说链接看不到全文，在这里
China Treads on New Turf
SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Chinese construction-equipment makers are burrowing into
Caterpillar Inc.'s backyard and they're counting on people like Lon Coon to
do it.
The Syracuse native runs Stephenson Equipment Inc.'s upstate New York
operations. For decades, Stephenson had focused on selling and renting out
cranes and paving equipment.
But Mr. Coon says that last year he decided to branch out into "the dirt
business"—excavators, backhoes and other earth-moving equipment.
Since rivals had the rights to sell Caterpillar and other big-name brands in
his region, Mr. Coon turned to China. He arranged a tour of Guangxi Liugong
Machinery Co.'s sprawling factory complex in the southeastern Chinese city
of Liuzhou.
"I was pleasantly surprised," the 64-year old recalls. "The floors were
clean, the lines were neat, things were well-organized." Last November he
signed on to become a Liugong dealer.
Established in 1958 as a state-owned company making industrial machinery,
Liugong still is about one-third owned by the government. The company has
about 13,000 employees, a factory in India and says it is the world's
biggest maker of wheel loaders, often used for loading material into trucks.
Liugong (pronounced lu-GONG) exports equipment to most parts of the globe,
with a particular emphasis in Latin America and Southeast Asia. It also is
one of the most ambitious Chinese contenders for a chunk of the U.S. market.
So far, though, its presence is tiny.
Winning the support of U.S. dealers like Mr. Coon will be critical for
companies like Liugong. It also promises to be a tough haul.
Most construction equipment in the U.S. is sold through exclusive, regional
arrangements with dealers. And most of the biggest dealers are tied up by
major manufacturers like Caterpillar, the world's biggest maker of
construction equipment, and Japan's Komatsu Ltd.
Liugong needs customers like Mr. Coon who want to expand their product lines
into construction equipment. The Chinese company's main initial attraction
will be price, Mr. Coon says. Liugong says its equipment typically costs 15%
-20% below that of Caterpillar.
A Caterpillar spokesman says his company's equipment is durable and
supported by a strong service network, providing "the lowest owning and
operating costs over the life of a product."
Even with its heft, the company takes Chinese competition seriously, having
seen Komatsu and Sweden's Volvo AB build strong U.S. dealer networks over
the past few decades.
Caterpillar Chief Executive Doug Oberhelman, who is expanding the Peoria,
Ill., company's factories and dealer networks in China, has said he expects
one or two of his Chinese rivals eventually to become global players in
construction gear.
China's Sany Heavy Industry Co. also is expanding in the U.S., offering such
items as cranes and cement-pumping equipment. Sany expects to open a $60
million office-and-assembly plant this month near Atlanta.
Signing up dealers is just one piece of the puzzle for Liugong.
Mr. Coon bought nine of its machines for a total of about $1 million. He
hasn't sold any, although a few construction firms have rented the equipment
. Many potential customers ask " 'Who the heck is Liugong?' " Mr. Coon says.
Fahs Construction Group of Binghamton, N.Y., recently rented a Liugong
excavator. "Our guys said it's very powerful," Fahs operating chief Rich
Gangemi says, but they also found it "kind of jerky." He says he is unlikely
to buy Liugong equipment. "We generally stick with the proven brands," such
as Caterpillar and Komatsu.
Mr. Coon says Liugong uses parts from popular suppliers to the industry,
such as Cummins Inc. for engines and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. for
hydraulic pumps. "The guts of the machine are the same thing everybody else
is using."
But he says Liugong needs to improve its painting process to prevent rust
spots.
Jim Donoghue, chairman of Liugong's U.S. subsidiary, says the company is
investing in better painting methods at all its plants.
For now, Liugong exports equipment to the U.S. from China. Might it make
equipment in the U.S., following the paths of Komatsu and Volvo?
"Not yet," says Liugong President Zeng Guang'an. He says, however, that
Liugong has more than 1,000 employees who speak English, up from five a few
years ago.
Liugong doesn't disclose its U.S. sales. Company executives acknowledge that
its U.S. market share is tiny but say they are taking a long-term view,
looking to expand their reach over five years.
Establishing strong parts and service capabilities is a must for Liugong.
Construction companies won't buy equipment unless they know they can get it
fixed fast.
"If you don't have service, there's no sense to having any product," Mr.
Zeng says. Liugong opened a 16,000-square-foot parts warehouse and office
near Houston in 2008.
The company since has signed up 17 dealers, in 18 mostly northeastern states
, Ontario and Quebec.
Mr. Donoghue, who has worked in the construction-equipment business since
1981, says Liugong dealers cover about 20% of North America now. It will
probably take three to five years to get complete coverage, he says.
In addition to targeting dealers who want to expand their product lines,
Liugong aims to find dealers who are signed up with the big names in one
region but want to move into another area where the big manufacturers'
franchises already are locked up.
Liugong executives say they hope to persuade customers that the company can
deliver high quality at low prices.
Liugong equipment operated in China has to be tough because it often is run
for three shifts a day, nearly every day of the calendar year, company
executives say.
When Liugong machines come to the U.S. and are operated just eight hours a
day, "it's almost like they are going on vacation," says David Beatenbough,
a Liugong vice president. | l*******l
发帖数: 13923 | 3 看得到啊
【在 L***s 的大作中提到】
: 听朋友说链接看不到全文，在这里
: China Treads on New Turf
: SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Chinese construction-equipment makers are burrowing into
: Caterpillar Inc.'s backyard and they're counting on people like Lon Coon to
: do it.
: The Syracuse native runs Stephenson Equipment Inc.'s upstate New York
: operations. For decades, Stephenson had focused on selling and renting out
: cranes and paving equipment.
: But Mr. Coon says that last year he decided to branch out into "the dirt
: business"—excavators, backhoes and other earth-moving equipment.
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