Sinotruk holds award conference for 2024 scientific, technological innovation

China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, or Sinotruk, held the group's 2024 Science and Technology Innovation Awards Conference in Jinan on March 2, recognizing and rewarding significant technological achievements and outstanding innovative talent from 2022 to the present.

The conference awarded 17 technological progress awards, one technology invention award, and 28 continuous improvement awards, honoring 42 individuals for their outstanding contributions to technological innovation, with a total prize amount of 43.6 million yuan ($6.06 million).

To build a team of leading talent with a global perspective, cutting-edge technological thinking, and outstanding innovative capabilities, the group also appointed 10 outstanding engineers and 10 young outstanding engineers.

During the conference, Tan Xuguang, chairman of Sinotruk, said that the group must achieve a breakthrough in the era of artificial intelligence, and should maintain R&D investment with double-digit growth in the next five years as well as expand its R&D personnel to 15,000 people.

Over the past five years, Sinotruk has bolstered efforts in areas such as investment in research and development and high-end talent attraction. The group has invested nearly 15 billion yuan in R&D, positioning its technological capabilities at the national forefront of the industry. The group's market share of heavy trucks has increased from 16.5 percent in 2018 to 26 percent in 2023, ranking first in China for two consecutive years.

Over the past five years, Sinotruk has attracted a large amount of high-end talent from home and abroad, with the number of R&D personnel growing from over 2,200 to 7,400.