Quality boost is needed to match China's car demand

The booming car market in China is setting new kinds of production challenges, and they are not simply related to volume. Discerning Chinese buyers are insisting on a boost to the build-quality of the vehicles they buy in a highly competitive marketplace.

The right blend of man and machine in the Chinese context is the overall theme of the first AMS China conference, to be held in Shanghai from 2-4 June. It is organised by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions magazine, the global leader in coverage of the processes and equipment used in the world's car production and assembly plants.

"I look forward to hearing benchmarking studies, best practices in efficient manufacturing and discovering the best route to meeting the demands of this exciting market," said John Buttermore, vice president of manufacturing for GM's international operations, who will be speaking at the conference.

The event will bring together both domestic and jv OEMs, and the principal tier suppliers, with the providers of most of the technologies they use.

Speaking alongside Buttermore from global OEMs will be executives like Mario Hu, from the manufacturing division of Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa region, and Wang Jianhua, director of utility engineering at Beijing Hyundai Motor. They will be joined by their counterparts at domestic carmakers, including Li Hong Wei, vice president of Dongfeng, Chen Jianwei, vice general manager for production at Guangzhou Automobile, and Wan Nianyong, vice-section chief for manufacturing at Chongqing Chang'an Automobile.

A much-valued aspect of similar conferences organised by AMS in Europe and India is workshops on specific technologies. So delegates at the China event will get detailed information on current practices from speakers including YongJian Gai, who is press shop manager for the Jinan Truck division of Sinotruk, the country's principal domestic heavy vehicle maker.

Illustrating possibilities for the future will be representatives of technology suppliers, including Reiner Schmid, country president of paintshop and production systems provider Durr, and Thorsten Kimpel from Trumpf Laser, as well as materials specialists like Kjell Bengtsson of Uddeholm steels.