This is a lightning bolt that China shocked the world. This is the epitome of a growing nation.

On May 31st, Kunshan, China, the "China Power World Champion" SANY excavator global sales peak celebration party was held. According to data from Off-Highway Research, a global authoritative research organization, in 2020, SANY sold 98,705 excavators, occupying 15% of the global excavator market, and won the global sales champion!

Applause, flowers, laughter, tears! A century of great changes, a history of rise. The industry has served the country for eighteen years, finally fulfilling a dream of a champion! SANY’s 18-year history of struggle has proven: The Chinese can build the best excavators in the world!

"I can't even sell second mobile phones abroad"

The wind rises at the end of Qingping, and the waves become between the waves. In the 1960s, China started its independent research and development of excavators and started almost at the same time as Japan. However, due to weak basic industries, industrial development has always been behind. After the reform and opening up, large-scale engineering construction, moving mountains and reclaiming the sea, and building roads and buildings have begun across the country. A large number of machinery and equipment are needed everywhere. Regrettably, the domestically produced machines can't keep up at all, which provides soil for foreign brands to grab a beach in China.

It is no exaggeration to say that compared with foreign brands, the domestically produced machines at the time looked like "industrial waste", regardless of technology, craftsmanship, performance, and quality. No two phones can be sold. Wang Guang, marketing director of Hunan Zhongwang, recalled that if anyone bought a domestic machine at that time, he would be considered ignorant, and it was often difficult to get a job. The industrial ecology is so cruel.

A dealer in the southeastern region can sell hundreds of foreign second-hand phones a year, but not even 10 domestic ones. The downturn of domestic brands continued for many years. Until around 2000, foreign brands still occupied more than 90% of the Chinese excavator market for a long time. According to statistics, in 2000, local brands sold only 502 units, accounting for only 5% of the total market. In regions such as Guangdong, where the economy is developed and the competition is fierce, sales of domestic excavators are almost zero. At that time, in the vast and huge Chinese market, all the excavators from developed countries were in sight, and there was no foothold of domestic brands. It's embarrassing. In a downturn and dim, whether to have a strong excavator manufacturing company has become a huge issue related to a national industrial manufacturing.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Sany's development in the field of concrete machinery was like a broken bamboo, spreading the national brand flag throughout China and even the global market. But there is no doubt that the excavator is the "jewel in the crown" of the construction machinery industry. For Sany, which aspires to become a global leader in the industry, for Sany, the chairman of Sany Group, whose original intention of "serving the country by industry" as its entrepreneurial heart, is coming. In other words, such a weak national excavator industry is in the throat. At the internal meeting to discuss whether to enter the field of excavators, Liang Wengen clearly pointed out that as a construction machinery company, Sany must produce the best excavators in the world and enhance the world image of Chinese manufacturing!

The strength of China is inseparable from the strength of the national industry; the revival of the Chinese nation and the revival of national brands must not be absent. Sany, with the mission of "revitalizing the national excavator industry", once again bravely opened the historical curtain of the global competition.

"Not for profit, this is our mission"

Many years later, if you look back at the investment direction of Sany as an enterprise around the new century, you will find that this threshold is a key point for a young national enterprise to choose between "profit" and "hundred years". But with the strength of Sany at the time, could it be possible to make high-quality excavators? Regarding this question, almost everyone will question, even mixed with ridicule.

Around the new century, Sany has just established a foothold in the provincial capital of Changsha, and its sales have only crossed the one-billion-dollar threshold. No one is sure to enter the unfamiliar field of excavators. At the same time, foreign brands attach great importance to the emerging market of China, and have set up production plants in China, and even moved R&D and sales organizations. What Sany will face directly are strong players who have been deeply involved in the global market for decades.

In the eyes of outsiders, a small private enterprise that "can't afford to play" and "can't play", but also delusional to carry the banner of the leader of the national excavator, is really "overweight". In 2003, Sany Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. was established. Amidst doubts and ridicule, Sany's excavator road has already embarked on a journey. In the beginning, the R&D department took the path of trial-manufacturing the trailer pump and simply assembled more than a dozen test machines, but none of them succeeded. Dai Jinghua, the first general manager of Sany Heavy Machinery, clearly remembered that the average trouble-free working time of this batch of test machines was only more than 8 hours.

Quality is the starting point of Sany's value and dignity, and the only uncompromising principle. As far as Sany is concerned, if the product quality is not good, there is no room for maneuver. It must be overthrown and start over, take the road of independent innovation, and take the most difficult road! "The technological gap is too big and painful; the supply chain is unstable and painful; opinions are not unified and painful!" In countless pains, the excavator team carried out arduous entrepreneurship with unparalleled courage and overcome one difficulty after another. At that time, only one electronic control system program was written, and the project team had to tackle key problems for several months. In order to solve the problem of basic matching, Dai Qinghua ran around and spent more than a year visiting all domestic and foreign parts suppliers.

"When it was first established, everything was immature, no one had no equipment or tools, and lacked everything." Hiroshi Tomita, who is now the deputy general manager of the main engine subsidiary of the small mining company, recalled. In order to start the project as soon as possible, the project personnel draw drawings one by one, talk with each customer one by one, and solve problems one by one workstation. Although there has been no return for many years and even ran out of the group's cash flow in 2004, the board of directors led by Liang Wengen spared no effort to protect the man’s dream of digging.

There have also been voices within the group that "excavator projects with serious losses have been discontinued". However, Chairman Liang Wengen's attitude is very firm: "We must unswervingly build the excavator! Not for profit, this is our mission!" This sentence still shines in the hearts of Trinity to this day.

"Small private enterprises come to the center of the stage"

After working hard day and night, we finally ushered in an exciting moment. Soon, Sany's first "crawler hydraulic excavator" was born. This is the first crawler hydraulic excavator developed by a private enterprise in the history of China's industrial development. Its first appearance caused a sensation in the entire industry.

Soon, under the active coordination of Liang Linhe, then chairman of Sany Heavy Machinery, these new products obtained valuable trial opportunities in Sanya, Hainan, and announced that the project has finally stepped down from the blueprint and entered the actual combat stage. At that time, Liang Wengen brought all the board members to the construction site of Sany Excavator in Hainan. "The scene is very spectacular." Yuan Jinhua, who had been to the scene, said: "A piece of bright red Trinity excavator, dozens of units are placed in a row around the mountain, the engine roars, the arms are up and down. At that time, I thought, we are more than ten. Isn’t the struggle of the year just for such a sight?"

In the manufacturing workshop, the machines are running fast, and everyone is full of strength. The Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai World Expo, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the South-to-North Water Diversion...the fiery construction waves across Greater China are calling for Sany excavators to roll off the assembly line as soon as possible.

At the end of 2004, Sany's "dual proportional valve, fully electronic negative flow" excavator went on the market. This is the beginning of the steady development of Sany excavators. The technical performance has moved from the edge to the center, and the sales business has expanded unprecedentedly. In 2005, the sales of Sany excavators exceeded 500 units; in 2006, 800 units were sold. Under Tang Xiuguo's "three visits to the thatched cottage", Yu Hongfu joined the Sany Group as an "excavator expert". In the same year, SANY Heavy Machinery Division moved to Kunshan as a whole and entered the center of the industry chain.

Song Zhongjun was the first group of relocation workers that year. Now he recalls that he still doesn’t sigh: “At the time, the Kunshan Industrial Park had higher thatch than people and more mosquitoes than people. Build roads in the dirty water of the Nihe River.” But in such a difficult environment, this year, Sany excavators carried out 38 technical improvements, 160 detailed optimizations, and completed the streamlining upgrade of the overall production line, intelligent control of products, The advantages of fuel saving and high efficiency are gradually emerging. In 2007, 1,600 units were sold, crossing the “profit and loss line” and the “life and death line”. In the second half of that year, the then-Zhongji marketing director Xiang Ruan took the lead in completing the marketing restructuring work, changing from direct sales to agents, inspiring the unlimited market vitality. Since then, Sany's entire excavator system has all advanced genes and is ready to "impact first and regain lost ground".

Doubled year after year! In 2008, 3219 units were sold, and China's first "200-ton hydraulic crawler excavator" and China's first "positive flow hydraulic excavator" were independently developed to fill the domestic gap. Sales exceeded 6,000 units in 2009, surpassing the world's largest construction machinery manufacturer in the domestic market in one fell swoop, allowing Chinese companies to see that defeating foreign brands is not a "delusion." In 2010, the sales volume was 12,000 units, and the first "Service Mile" started, and the golden sign of "Service First Brand" began to be established.

Sparkling prairie fire! In 2011, Sany Heavy Machinery completed the industry's pioneering work. With the annual sales of 20,614 units and a domestic market share of 12.3%, it surpassed all foreign brands and became the industry's number one, which greatly improved the morale of the national excavator business. In the same year, Sany Lingang Industrial Park, the largest domestic excavator production base, was completed, with an annual production capacity of 40,000 units, and the industrial layout aimed at the global market. By 2012, Sany's market share of excavators had increased to 18%, further widening the gap between domestic and foreign brands, and overseas exports exceeded 2,000 units, making the first international shot! At the end of 2012, the China Quality Association announced the survey results, Sany's average time between failures was as high as 1048.35 hours, becoming the industry's first quality. Upon hearing this, Liang Wengen, who wanted to "change the world with quality", was very excited.

It is also under the leadership of Sany that the national excavator has risen rapidly, and its market share has risen from 5% in 2000 to 42.2% in 2013, showing a tendency to fight against foreign brands. That year, Japan's "Nikkei Shimbun" and "Sankei Shimbun" reported the news that Japanese companies lost their number one position in the Chinese market. The British magazine "The Economist" also published an article entitled "Digging Victory". The article admits that the top construction equipment produced in China has reached the world's advanced level.

Those who have been skeptical are finally convinced. Small private enterprises, once squeezed at the bottom of the market by high-ranking foreign brands, have jumped to the center of the stage of construction machinery. It represents the power of China's emerging local brands and demonstrates the dignity and strength of "Made in China" to the world.

"The Chinese can build the best excavators in the world"

The dream does not stop there, the miracle continues. Sany’s long-term goal is not to become the number one in China, nor to compete with other domestic brands in the Chinese market, but to work with domestic companies to achieve the rise of domestic excavators. To contribute a world-class brand to China is the dream of generations of Chinese construction machinery industry.

In 2012, Yu Hongfu, who has served as the chairman and general manager of Sany Heavy Machinery, has already set his sights on the world's number one: "Our dream is to be the best excavator in the world and make some contribution to the national brand. The process will be difficult. , But we are confident.” Perhaps, precisely because all of Sany’s people are flowing with such blood, the cause of driving Sany to victory step by step. From 2012 to 2016, a five-year period of in-depth industry adjustment. Compared with the highest peak, the entire industry has shrunk by nearly 70%. This kind of cliff-like decline is a disaster for any company.

But in the face of crises, truly great companies can turn uncertainty into opportunities. "When everyone loses confidence and many people withdraw from this industry, we actually have the most confidence." Yu Hongfu said. Even in the most difficult days, there is a voice that always echoes in my ears-"Quality changes the world! Sany wants to build the best excavators in the world, and completely change the world's impression of ‘Made in China’!"

Transformation and upgrading, overseas development, independent innovation, optimizing channels, and improving services... In the past five years, Sany has strived for time, efficiency, quality, and innovation! In cities, in rural areas, in factories, and in mines, where mountains and rivers were once full of imported equipment, more and more advanced SANY excavators are waving their arms, becoming the clearest proof of the rise of independent brands. When the industry ushered in recovery, people were delighted to see that the industry structure had undergone profound changes, the market had screened heroes, and Sany not only persevered, but also became stronger.

In 2017, SANY excavators sold 28,000 units, and the domestic market share reached 20.1%, surpassing the total of the second and third places in the industry; in 2018, SANY excavators sold 49,000 units, ranking fourth in the world, not only in large, medium and small areas It is no longer constrained by others in the key parts of excavator core controller, pump valve motor, slewing ring, reducer, four-wheel area and so on. In 2019, SANY excavators sold 62,000 units, second in the world, and succeeded. Launched the world’s first 5G excavator, and took the lead in launching the transformation of multiple “lighthouse factories”, leading the industry’s new “digital and intelligent” track; in 2020, Sany excavators made an amazing leap——Global The total sales reached 98,000 units, and the cumulative global sales exceeded 330,000 units. It became the world's first annual sales volume for the first time and won the global crown of construction machinery!

From chaser to surpasser! Dreams, feelings, strategies, beliefs, courage... all are the support of taking the "crown", and all are the engines of the great changes of Sany. From a joke to a myth! Today, history has proven that Sany has proven: The Chinese can build the best excavators in the world!

On May 31, at the celebration party for the "Global Sales Champion" of Sany Excavators, many industry feats, Sany employees and partners shed tears at the venue. If it were not for Sany’s almost paranoid persistence, the 18-year arduous and tortuous road of tackling key problems would have long since died. At the recent Trinity Award Ceremony, Liang Wengen once said: "We have blazed a trail in a market monopolized by foreign brands and became the number one. We have done what other Chinese companies'want to do but could not do'. ."

Dreams come true, but dreams never stop! As Yu Hongfu said, "The happy moment will pass in an instant, and there are more difficult and higher goals waiting for us in the future." In July 2021, on the centenary of the founding of the party, the new world champion Sany in Chongqing’s intelligence The manufacturing base will be put into production soon. The brand-new Sany Chongqing Industrial Park, with a vast hinterland of 1,500 acres and an advanced production capacity of 40,000 smart excavators per year, will help the "World Excavator King" soar in the broader sky.

As General Secretary Xi Jinping said: "In today's world, scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation are in the ascendant. We must strengthen our sense of mission, take innovation as the biggest policy, and catch up and catch up."

Human beings are great because of their dreams, and dreams are beautiful because of persistence. A great company has gradually stepped onto the world stage. Its rise will surely make China stronger.Editor/Baohongying