Arvin Meritor: Finding the right talent is the biggest challenge

Gasgoo.com: We have learned that Arvin Meritor has leading technologies in the brake systems and power transmission systems of commercial vehicles and light vehicles. Which OEMs in the country have good and in-depth cooperation with domestic OEMs?

Jason Apter: We now have different businesses. In terms of non-road vehicle business, it has a good cooperation with Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group. The road vehicle business mainly focuses on buses and buses. Last year we announced cooperation with Yutong Group. The progress is very good. We will also make some adjustments to support the development of our partners. In Shiyan, Hubei, there is a joint venture specialized in brakes, Meritor Huayang, and Dongfeng is our partner.

Gasgoo.com: With the launch of Arvin Meritor's localization strategy, what are the qualification requirements for local suppliers?

Jason Apter: We have a comprehensive and complex purchasing standard. First, suppliers must be able to meet our requirements for quality. This is our most concern, so as to ensure that our products meet the standards; Second, the supplier's production capacity must be guaranteed to provide the products we need in a timely manner. Third, the price is competitive.

Gasgoo.com: Under the same quality system control, the production base will be built in China. Can we obtain the same quality parts at a lower cost?

Jason Apter: Compared with imported parts and components, the cost of customs tariffs has been cut aside. If localization of procurement can be achieved, it will have a great advantage in the entire procurement cost. Of course, we will do our best to make these parts meet our requirements in quality control.

Gasgoo.com: Are the products produced in China only supplied to the Chinese market, or will there be some sales back to foreign markets?

Jason Apter: Both the Chinese market and the export. For example, in our domestic joint ventures, most products are used for domestic consumption, but some products are exported to other markets. We also have a sole proprietorship, some of which are completely targeted at the domestic market and some are exported. There are differences between different markets. Some products are tailor-made for the Chinese market and some are exclusively exported.

In fact, different markets have different requirements for product performance and durability. The requirements for exporting to different markets are also different. For example, our axle products are supplied domestically and abroad. From the technical point of view, the appearance and shape will be different, and it is easy to meet the different performance requirements of different customers.

Gasgoo.com: Tim Browns, ArvinMeritor’s global industrial vehicle business director and president of Asia Pacific, mentioned that the biggest challenge is to find the right people. Does establishing a technology research and development center in China mean increasing the cultivation of localized talent? What are the specific contents of cooperation with Nanjing Aerospace University?

Jason Apter: Our goal is to attract and train local talents, including continuous language and cultural training for them. We hope that most of the talents will come from the mainland. We will continue to train and develop them. I hope they can become the future Chinese market. leader of.

With the development of the company's business, we need highly efficient, innovative, and talented management talents that are complex engineering technologies. At present, we have technical talents in Wuxi, Shanghai and Xuzhou. We will provide a new platform for the development of successful individuals within the company. Secondly, we will attract external talents, recruit graduates and interns, and we need very experienced management and technical personnel to join our team.

We have formed a strategic cooperation relationship with Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the contents of cooperation are relatively broad. For example, research and development cooperation, internships, and the cultivation of the teaching staff, we need to further clarify and discuss.

Gasgoo.com: After the establishment of the Nanjing Research and Development Center, Arvin Meritor has been designing, testing, producing, and after-sales services. What kind of measures have been taken in terms of intellectual property protection?

Jason Apter: For the consideration of intellectual property rights, our R&D center is completely wholly-owned. At the same time, we also apply for patent protection for technology and products on a regular basis. We use these two methods to guarantee our intellectual property rights.

Gasgoo.com: What are the new plans for ArvinMeritor in the aftermarket?

Jason Apter: Aftermarket service, we have a lot of strategies in discussion. A few months ago, we also announced that we would increase our services in the sales market, including distribution, repair and maintenance, and after-sales field service and support. In the future, as the strategy goes further, we will also make more announcements about the relevant content.

Gasgoo.com: In the past seven years, ArvinMeritor has been reducing and selling its passenger vehicle business, and its strategic focus has been continuously shifted to the commercial vehicle business. Mr. Jason You personally completed the division of the emissions system business. What is the biggest difficulty you have encountered in this process?

Jason Apter: If you want to split your business, you will surely encounter many complicated situations. You will encounter problems both in the course of transactions and negotiations. The difficulties encountered by ordinary enterprises in the process of restructuring and business adjustment will also be met. Of course, in the process, we were unfortunately also faced with the financial crisis. This is a very big impact for us. The transition period has experienced the most difficult period of the entire industry. Ultimately, we were able to successfully transform and demonstrate our ability to lead the team.

Gasgoo.com: Please briefly introduce the advantages of air disc brakes and their future trends.

Jason Apter: Air disc brakes operate differently from other brakes currently on the market. Disc brakes are clamping mechanisms. Drum brakes are expansion mechanisms. Compared with drum brakes, disc brakes have three advantages: First, their effectiveness does not decay with increasing temperature; second, they ensure torque. Consistency, the car can maintain stability when parking, does not deviate from the lane; Third, maintenance and maintenance are more efficient, because only need to change the liner inside.

Gasgoo.com: Please talk about the development trend of the brake industry.

Jason Apter: At present, China's disc brakes are still in an early stage of development and are continuously expanding their application range. For performance and safety considerations, and related regulations, disc brakes are mainly used on passenger cars and buses. We also hope that disc brakes can be used more in the truck market. From the current technical level, we still need to make adjustments to the truck market.

From a global point of view, the more popular approach in the future is to place electronic systems in disc brakes. The use of electronic systems to propel the starting device, rather than air, may call for electronic disc brakes in the future. Of course, there will be other trends, such as the use of more composite structures, using different composites or alloys as brakes to improve the durability and life of the brakes. Our experts as brake systems are also paying close attention to these future trends and directions.