June 09, 2011 01:00 AM
China Plastics in Automotive 2011
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Plastics News conference and editorial director Robert Grace served as conference chairman for PN's first-ever event in China, on May 16.
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The Westin Guangzhou provided a five-star setting for the event, which drew more than 160 attendees. The conference was offered in two languages -- English and Mandarin -- with simultaneous interpretation.
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Stanley Chu, chairman of Hong Kongs Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., welcomed the conference crowd and invited them to attend his companys May 17-20 Chinaplas trade show, which attracted more than 90,000 people that week.
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PN Assistant Managing Editor Nina Ying Sun introduced – in both Chinese and English – the local government official who spoke early in the program, and later she helped to moderate a panel of Chinese automakers, as well.
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Xu Jun, director of the Foreign Investment Promotion Division for BOFTEC (the Bureau of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation) in Guangzhou Municipality, told of his regions impressive growth. He also serves as vice chairman of the Guangzhou Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment.
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Ivo Naumann, Shanghai-based Asia managing director for consultants AlixPartners LLP, chose to release results from his firms latest annual China automotive industry survey at the conference.
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Speaker John Zeng (left), forecasting director for J.D. Power Asia Pacific, takes in the proceedings with Yang Jian, Shanghai-based managing editor of PN sister publication Automotive News China.
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Panelists (left to right) Rudy Wimmer and Cathy Huang, the principals of design management firm China Bridge International, and Alan Nicol, senior chief design manager of the GM/SAIC joint venture PATAC (the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Co. Ltd.) fielded questions from the audience about Chinese consumer preferences.
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Speaker Ganesh Khedkar, Pune, India-based head of global manufacturing for engineering services giant Tata Technologies Ltd., swapped cards with PNs Shanghai news correspondent Lauren Hilgers.
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Ford China Chairman & CEO Joe Hinrichs, who also is president of Ford Asia Pacific & Africa and a corporate group VP, held court as keynote speaker. He shared his views of the regions tremendous growth potential, and of Fords own aggressive expansion plans.
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Kathy Xuan, founder and president of Romeoville, Ill.-based plastics recycler Parc Corp., asked Ford keynote speaker Joe Hinrichs to elaborate on a specific point.
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After his talk, Joe Hinrichs spent a lot of time networking with attendees, including Gregory Wong, commercial consul for the American Consulate General in Guangzhou.
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Linda Whelan, PNs director of marketing and events, shown here organizing attendee badges at the registration desk, kept the logistics running smoothly all day long.
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Athena Chen helped staff the active booth of platinum sponsor ExxonMobil Chemical Co.
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This attendee took time during one of the breaks to read the 12-page, Chinese-language supplement about Chinas automotive plastics industry that Plastics News Nina Ying Sun produced especially for this conference.
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Glenn Starkey, president of conference sponsor Progressive Components International Corp., chatted with attendee John Blundy of Incoe Corp. during a lull in the action.
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Zheng Limiao, vice general manager of local, state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Co. Ltd. was a late addition to the packed program.
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Thomas Apostolos, president of Exteriors & Interiors - Asia Pacific for global parts supplier Magna International, joined three Chinese automakers on a panel about the local market.
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Shi Rongbo, manager of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd.s Non-Metal Material Department, told attendees about his firms process for making materials choices.
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Du Cao, VP and director of Chang'an Automobile Groups Global R&D Center in Chongqing, China, discussed Chinese auto brands trends and methods of interior and exterior trim design.
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A job well done: This panel got together after their session to pose for the camera. From left: Guangzhou Autos Zheng Limiao, Magna Internationals Tom Apostolos, Changan Autos Du Cao, and Chery Autos Shi Rongbo.
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Materials then took center stage, as Sabic Innovative Plastics director of automotive marketing, Venkatakrishnan Umamaheswaran (widely known simply as UV), talked about automotive application trends in engineering plastics.
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Ryan Peng, Greater China auto industry manager for DuPont Performance Polymers, then shared his views of how engineering plastics might enhance future vehicles.
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Panel moderator Roger Young (left), Asia Pacific VP for consultants Robert Eller Associates, shared a laugh after their session with speaker John Verity, Houston-based vice president of polyolefins for ExxonMobil Chemical Co.
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And finally, when all was done at day's end, the audience showed its appreciation for the 17 presenters.All Plastics News photos are by Ginger Advertising Ltd.
























