“It’s hard to get first class now, whether it’s container or ro ro space. This ticket has to wait. It’s as tight as an air ticket.” When it comes to the transport capacity gap of cars going to sea, Yu De, general manager of Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) international business department and general manager of SAIC international, constantly stressed that the gap pressure is very large.
In 2021, China’s automobile export showed an explosive trend. According to the statistics of China Automobile Industry Association, China’s annual automobile export exceeded 2 million for the first time in 2021, reaching 2.015 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 101.1%. Among them, the export of new energy vehicles was 310000, a year-on-year increase of 3 times. Among export vehicle enterprises, SAIC ranks first with overseas sales of nearly 700000 vehicles.
However, the surge in automobile export demand has encountered the shortage of sea transportation capacity caused by the epidemic. It is reported that the uncertainty of the epidemic has lengthened the cycle of maritime freight transportation, resulting in a significant shortage of cargo ships and manpower.
“We are also very concerned about the problem of routes in the next few years and strive to solve it.” On February 17, Yu de told reporters of economic observer.com and other media that SAIC’s overseas business is facing realistic pressure in terms of transportation capacity.
In order to support the further growth of overseas sales, Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) signed an agreement with China Cssc Holdings Limited(600150) group in January 2022, which plans to customize two ocean motor transport ships (RO ro ships) with 7600 parking spaces for SAIC Anji, its logistics company.
Despite the pressure of transportation capacity, Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) is still optimistic about its overseas business in 2022. Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) announced that it plans to exceed 800000 overseas sales in 2022, with a year-on-year increase of about 15%, and will fully develop the European market. The sales of independent brands mg and Maxus in Europe are expected to reach 120000, and Europe will take the lead in upgrading to SAIC’s first “100000” overseas regional market.
At present, Europe is one of the overseas markets with the largest sales volume of SAIC. Official information shows that Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) products and services cover more than 80 countries and regions around the world, and have formed six “50000 vehicle level” regional markets in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the Americas, the Middle East, ASEAN and South Asia. In Europe, the sales of SAIC’s independent brands mg and Maxus have reached 73000 vehicles in developed countries such as the UK, France and Germany.
Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) the confidence of optimistic expectation for 2022 partly comes from the good performance of its overseas business in 2021. According to the data, in 2021, although the sales volume of Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) complete vehicles was not optimistic, and the performance of 5.4635 million vehicles fell by 2.45% year-on-year, the overseas sales volume exceeded 697000 vehicles, with a year-on-year increase of 78.9%, of which independent brands accounted for 60%.
In 2022, Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) plans to launch models specially designed for overseas markets, including mg EH32, a “global car” of Mg brand, which will take the lead in landing in Europe. It is reported that Mg EH32 is designed and built based on European safety standards and consumption habits, including safety, which can meet European requirements for vehicle side pole collision.
Saic Motor Corporation Limited(600104) Zhang Liang, deputy general manager of data business department and chief digital officer of SAIC passenger cars, revealed that in 2022, Mg brand will launch more high-end series to support the needs of different overseas countries. “The requirements of different overseas countries are very different, and high-end series products can provide better support for overseas countries than more developed countries”.
In order to solve the contradiction of shipping capacity, in addition to strengthening the ocean logistics capacity, SAIC’s other path is to improve the vehicle production capacity of overseas bases and realize more localized production and supply of vehicle products for overseas markets.
It is understood that SAIC’s main overseas production bases are located in Thailand and Indonesia in Southeast Asia and Pakistan and India in South Asia. In SAIC’s annual overseas sales, 1 / 3 are produced and supplied by overseas bases and 2 / 3 are exported and supplied from China.
Yu de said that SAIC plans to basically realize the ratio of overseas manufacturing volume to China’s export volume of 1:1 during the 14th Five Year Plan period. That is, half of the overseas sales within five years will be supplied by local factories. The specific progress will depend on the adjustment and changes of the whole international market in the next few years.
To this end, SAIC is planning to build a new overseas production base. Specific considerations include changes in local policies, because with the gradual development of the epidemic, different national policies and rules of international trade between countries are also changing.
