Big name global manufacturers keen on 2023
Q2 Which business segment (s) of your company do you expect to see high growth in China this year? What are the new trends and interesting business opportunities in the Chinese market that your company might be keen to tap? How will you align your business strategies with such trends?
DING: We see many growth opportunities in China across our leading businesses — including industries like electronics, automotive, health care, air quality and safety. As a longtime leader in sustainability, we are also excited about opportunities from China's focus on green development, a priority of China's long-range strategic plan. Sustainability is incorporated into every new product 3M makes. In China, for example, we have Thinsulate featherless insulation made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles and used as a down alternative in clothing. As we have done for decades, we will continue to help support the evolution of China's economy into a greener future.
YU: With our core business perfectly aligned with Chinese market demand, including digitalization and sustainability, we pay close attention to developing key verticals and continue to invest in growth industries, which enables us to drive "indigenous innovation" tailored to local customer needs. About 60 percent of Honeywell's new product research and development investment is directed toward products that improve environmental and social outcomes for customers. With an increasing number of market players in China joining efforts to meet the country's "dual carbon" goals, we seek to join Chinese partners and customers to create a more sustainable future.
Heinricht: Schott Pharma is a significant contributor to our success. The subsidiary produces pre-filled syringes made of glass and polymers, cartridges and vials that are used to safely store and administer medications. During the last fiscal year, Schott established a stand-alone company for its pharma business to take even greater advantage of the dynamic developments in the pharmaceutical market and allow the group to explore new strategic opportunities. In modern lithography machines for computer chip manufacturing, silicon wafers and exposure masks have to be positioned precisely in order to produce the finest structures for the most powerful microchips. We also see promising opportunities for our high-quality fiber optic light guides, for example, for robotic surgery.
ZHANG: Last year, Dassault Systemes achieved a breakthrough and rapid growth in 12 industries. For example, the company implemented a liquor production line project in the packaging consumer goods industry. In the construction field, new generation weather radar in Wuhan, Hubei province, became the first "paperless "building in China. In 2023, we expect that the industries in which Dassault Systemes has advantages will maintain a high growth level, like automobiles, aviation and industrial equipment in the manufacturing industry. At the same time, we will deepen cooperation and empowerment in critical new industries, as well as expand regional markets to drive the realization of business objectives. In addition, Dassault Systemes has been paying close attention to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises for digital transformation and we will provide high-quality local services to them.
HOMMA: We aim to surpass China's GDP growth rate and are working on it. I believe that the Chinese market has incomparable advantages. It is dynamic and full of vitality. For example, demand for smart refrigerators, dryers and dishwashers has increased after the easing of COVID-19-related measures. People use smartphones and are willing to accept new technologies. There is a social atmosphere and soil that respects innovation and allows failure, as well as a large number of technical personnel. I believe these will bring out opportunities for foreign enterprises to develop in China.
