Xi'an is an important hub for German industry in China - strategically located and serving as a center for Northwest China. Against this backdrop, the German Chamber of Commerce in North China organized the German Chamber Industry Days in Xi’an for the second time, welcoming around 50 participants together with the German Embassy.
With this event, we aim to strengthen the German business community in the region and to create a platform for exchange, learning and networking within the Sino‑German business landscape.
During the Industry Days, participants visited leading German and Chinese companies in the fields of automation and mobility. German companies in China are increasingly accelerating their localization – investing in local R&D, production and supply chains for example to stay closer to customers, respond faster to market needs and leverage China as an innovation hub.
At ebm‑papst, a hidden champion and innovator in air technology, we toured one of the largest production plants within the whole Group. The company invested in their local R&D, production and supply chain of air technology over the last years and thus further increased efficiency and capacity. ZF LIFETEC, a leading global supplier of passive safety products, conducts R&D, production and sales of inflators and hood lifters for automotive airbags in China. During the visit, we gained insights into ZF LIFETEC’s local automated production.
The program also demonstrated how cooperation between German and Chinese partners works on the ground. At Geely, we learned that the Xi'an plant produces not only for Geely itself, but also for the Mercedes joint venture SMART. The factory is both a green factory and a “dark factory.” It is highly automated and can operate without human involvement. Our visit to Siemens Signalling Co., Ltd (SSCX) offered another example of joint‑venture cooperation. SSCX is a partnership between Siemens Mobility Holding B. V. and CRSC (Xi’an) Rail Transit Industry Co., Ltd. It provides railway signaling products and systems, encompassing the entire value chain from R&D, manufacturing and engineering to sales and after-sales services. It is one example of Siemens Mobility’s digitalization and lean manufacturing in China.
Beyond company visits, the Industry Days offered ample time for networking and open exchange. In an informal setting, participants discussed how they are adapting their China strategies, how they approach localization and how they identify partners that best fit their long‑term goals. These conversations are at the heart of our events: bringing peers together, sharing experiences and strengthening the Sino‑German business community in China.
We would like to thank all participants for joining the German Chamber Industry Days in Xi’an, as well as ebm‑papst, ZF LIFETEC, Geely and Siemens Mobility for their warm hospitality.
