Chinese Drivers Want U.S. Brakes–Reach Out to Them Through Exclusive SEMA Conference

	Participating SEMA members will be paired with relevant Chinese buyers in up to a dozen private, pre-scheduled meetings at the SEMA CIAPE Business Development Conference in Beijing in late September.

Drivers in China are going farther and faster and that is creating opportunities for U.S. brake manufacturers.

“Roads in China are getting better each year, so cars go faster and more demands are placed on brake products,” said a Shandong, China-based performance parts importer, retailer and wholesaler located in the northeast part of the country. “Foreign brands have good word of mouth and good feedback, thus, I think they have a good future.”

Imported brake products fit U.S., European and Japanese car models produced in China well, said several distributors. The companies were interested in learning more about opportunities to sell U.S. brands in China.

SEMA members can introduce Chinese distributors to more than just their brake products at the SEMA CIAPE Business Development Conference in Beijing in late September. Participating SEMA members will be paired with relevant Chinese buyers in up to a dozen private, pre-scheduled meetings.

One-on-one meetings with potential Chinese partners at this ground-breaking event will allow you to get to know them and the market and assess how your company can take advantage of the phenomenal growth there.

Car ownership in China grew by 48% last year, and the market is on track for double-digit growth this year, as well. China isn’t just adding cars to its roads, however, it is adding roads. Nearly 53,000 miles of high-grade expressways will be built in China by 2020.

That means higher speeds and more concern for safety. Indeed, vehicle safety ranked among the top-five concerns for buyers of premium midsize and luxury cars in J.D. Powers and Associates studies in China in 2009.

Demand for U.S. brands would certainly be strong if consumers were more familiar with them, said Chinese importers and distributors.

“Normally, consumers buy only well-known brake brand products,” said Kevin Huang, manager of an importer and retailer in Xian, the capital city of north China’s Shanxi province. “Foreign brands have a very good future in China.”

For more information, visit www.sema.org/china or contact lindas@sema.org.