Fuyao puts people at heart of its smart upgrade

China's Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co Ltd, the world's largest automotive glass and integrated automotive trim solutions provider, is ramping up smart manufacturing and capacity expansion at home and abroad, creating thousands of new jobs as part of a broader strategy to align industrial upgrading with high-quality job growth.

The company, whose clients include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and Toyota, posted robust financial results in 2024, with revenue rising 18.37 percent year-on-year to 39.25 billion yuan ($5.48 billion) and net profit jumping 33.2 percent to 7.5 billion yuan. Fuyao has maintained double-digit growth in both revenue and net profit for three consecutive years.

"Technology is not only transforming how we make glass, but also how we grow jobs," said Zhang Haiyan, human resources director at Fuyao Glass. "By combining intelligent manufacturing with a strong talent strategy, we're not just expanding production — we're expanding opportunities."

Fuyao has invested nearly 10 billion yuan in new production bases across Fujian province, Anhui province, and Shanghai, forming a multi-regional growth corridor to anchor future capacity and job creation.

In Fuqing, Fujian province, a 3.25 billion yuan project for smart automotive safety glass aims to become a global benchmark in zero-carbon intelligent factories, generating around 3,000 jobs. The plant's fully automated lines — powered by in-house developed equipment — use the internet of things and big data to optimize operations.

In Hefei, Anhui province, construction of a vertically integrated industrial base reached completion just one year after signing, with annual capacity for 4 million automotive glass units and 4 million anti-glare glass units. The project is expected to add 3,000 direct jobs and 6 billion yuan in output once fully operational.

In addition, in Shanghai, Fuyao is targeting the high-end aluminum trim market with plans to produce 21 million precision aluminum parts annually, opening up 1,200 skilled roles in mold development, surface treatment and precision engineering.

To meet evolving talent needs driven by smart manufacturing and business growth, Fuyao is partnering with more than 20 universities and vocational schools nationwide to build a "dual-track" talent pipeline that integrates curriculum design, practical training and targeted recruitment.

"Education is not just a feeder system for jobs — it's our R&D partner," Zhang said. "We are codeveloping future-ready professionals who understand both theory and the factory floor."

Through customized "Fuyao Classes" and on-the-job training programs, the company embeds real-world production standards into school curricula. From 2023 to 2025, more than 200 industrial technicians will be channeled into new projects through this initiative.

Fuyao also co-runs research internships and "dual-mentor "schemes with university labs, particularly in emerging areas like vehicle connectivity and low-carbon materials. In total, 6,750 new jobs have been added across Fuqing and Hefei since 2025, including nearly 5,000 frontline tech positions and over 1,700 professional roles in product design, AI quality testing, and carbon management.

To retain talent, Fuyao is improving its learning, working, living, and development ecosystem. At its Fuqing headquarters, eight apartment towers and a 5,000-square-meter employee home form the core of a "five-minute lifestyle circle", complete with grocery stores, kindergartens and dining halls.

Company-sponsored sports events, music festivals and family open days have become regular fixtures. Cultural clubs like basketball, calligraphy and photography keep workers engaged year-round.

Fuyao also provides summer camps and childcare support for dual-income families during school holidays, with hobby classes in Chinese painting and reading — an effort that blends "daycare and education", according to Zhang.

Fuyao's job creation efforts are as much about long-term capability as they are about immediate hiring. By integrating smart production, education partnerships and robust support systems, the company is carving a model for how China's private sector can support high-quality employment during an era of industrial transformation.

"Our growth isn't just in numbers," Zhang said. "It's in people — in the skills they gain, the lives they build and the futures they shape with us."

chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn