While China's domestic manufacturing activity drops to a six-year low, Chinese firms are beefing up their overseas investment, including in North America.
Here is a sampling of Chinese companies expanding in North America in our recent coverage:
• YFS invested $27 million to build an auto part molding plant in Michigan.
• Shanghai Pret Composites added virgin material compounding capacity after acquiring one of the largest U.S. plastics recyclers, Wellman Plastics Recycling.
• Uway Extrusion LLC launched production in Ohio.
• Shanghai Yongli Belting Co. Ltd. established joint ventures in Indiana and in Mexico.
• Jiangnan MPT Co. Ltd. is planning a $100 million expansion into Mexico, following its customer BMW.
• Guangzhou Kingfa Science & Technology is investing $18 million to establish a presence in Michigan.
• Chinese investors set up molding company Innovate Manufacturing Inc. in Tennessee.
• Avian Granulator launched a facility near Chicago. (Avian technically is incorporated in Australia but its production has been in Shanghai.)
• China Lesso Group Holdings Ltd. launched a molding facility in California.
• Tech-Long is expanding its North American headquarters to include manufacturing.
Like other foreign direct investors in the United States, these Chinese firms create and/or save local jobs and help to grow the manufacturing sector here. But it oftentimes still requires effort for them to be understood, accepted and truly integrated into the local community.
This following video clip is an example of that type of initiative and gesture from the Carolinas. In this very much Southern flavored production, you'll hear both business cases and personal stories.