Truck maker shifts up a gear with overseas sales

A variety of vehicles manufactured by the company are on display at the Sinotruk Partner Conference 2025. [Photo/China Daily]

Chairman Wang Zhijian of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, also known as Sinotruk, said at the Sinotruk Partner Conference 2025 that the group is expected to export 135,000 heavy-duty trucks this year, a year-on-year increase of 4 percent, with export revenue reaching 45.1 billion yuan ($6.2 billion), a 5 percent increase.

Among them, sales in markets such as Saudi Arabia and Australia have grown rapidly, with the former increasing by 74 percent year-on-year and the latter by 98 percent.

Wang said that the group has established 29 knockdown factories overseas and registered four subsidiaries so far. It has 226 dealers, 246 service points and 217 parts supply networks globally. Despite facing stagnation in the domestic industry and weakening international markets, the group's total revenue for the year is expected to exceed 194 billion yuan, a 10 percent year-on-year increase.

The Sinotruk Partner Conference 2025, with the theme "We Are One", opened in Jinan, Shandong province, on Sunday. The event featured a diverse exhibition of Sinotruk products including new energy vehicles and specialized products designed for long-haul transportation, green cold chain, express delivery and more.

Entering overseas markets is an essential path for the internationalization of Sinotruk, the company said. After years of expansion, the group's exports span the world, including developing countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, the Middle East, Central Asia, as well as BRICS countries, Australia, New Zealand and other developed markets.

Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, its heavy-duty truck products are being exported to participating countries and regions, which are becoming trusted partners for the group. The group's marketing network, supply chain partners and customer base are growing globally.

In 2024, Sinotruk accelerated its overseas industry chain layout to compete directly with international brands. This has significantly enhanced its international market competitiveness.

In September, Sinotruk showcased seven models at the IAA Transportation's commercial vehicle exhibition in Hannover, Germany. These included products such as hydrogen internal combustion engine traction trains, hydrogen fuel cell tractors, pickup trucks and electric light-duty trucks.

At the Sinotruk Partner Conference, Wang announced the company's goal for 2025 and said: "Sinotruk will fully leverage its own strengths and accelerate the global deployment of a full range of commercial vehicles. It will achieve total vehicle sales of 450,000 units by 2025, with a year-on-year increase above 20 percent, in a bid to become a notable player in the Chinese commercial vehicle industry."