On October 8, 2024, UNIOR d.d., a member of the Slovenian automotive cluster ACS and the GREMO (Green Mobility) project, participated in a meeting in Ljubljana with over 40 leading Slovenian automotive industry suppliers and representatives from Chinese companies in this sector. UNIOR d.d., a leading manufacturer of forged products in the automotive industry, has significantly contributed its expertise and technology to the development of the joint venture Ningbo Unior Forging, a Chinese company now comparable to European forges.
The event, organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Chinese Embassy, and the SPIRIT agency with the support of ACS, aimed to promote closer cooperation between European and Chinese companies in the automotive industry.
All founding members of the GREMO mission from Slovenia attended the Supplier Day event. Among the Chinese companies, NIO, a major Chinese manufacturer of high-quality electric vehicles, stood out. NIO has been present in Europe for nine years, particularly in research and development, and is a leader in battery pack, motor, cockpit, and autonomous driving technologies. Other notable attendees included JMCG, a producer of cars, buses, and light commercial vehicles, and TAM EU, a Chinese company that manufactures airport buses and smaller tour buses in Slovenia.
In addition to company presentations, the event emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between European and Chinese manufacturers, as Chinese companies, especially new market players such as NIO, BYD, Geely, Dongfeng, Xpeng, and Xiaomi, are increasingly seeking opportunities to expand into the European market and establish production in Europe, presenting opportunities for Slovenian suppliers.
As part of the event, a visit by a Slovenian delegation led by Minister Matjaž Han to China in early November 2024 was also announced. The minister will visit the joint venture Ningbo Unior Forging in Yuyao, where Unior has been present since 2005. As a leading producer of forged products for the automotive industry, Unior has played a crucial role in the development of the Chinese subsidiary, which is now comparable to European forges.
Unior will continue to expand its presence and collaboration in the markets of China, the EU, and North America, as global opportunities for cooperation with Chinese companies offer significant potential for growth.
“Unior has been active in the Chinese market with its affiliated company Ningbo Unior Forging since 2005. Our collaboration has been very positive and offers potential for further expansion in China, the EU, and North America. Over the years, as a leading producer of forged products for the automotive industry, we have invested not only financial resources but also knowledge and technology in the development of the Chinese company. As a result, this partnership has developed into a company that is practically on par with European forges in all key aspects. This trend of cross-border cooperation by Chinese companies, moving in the opposite direction to what was common twenty or more years ago, will certainly continue to accelerate in the coming years,” said Mr. Branko Bračko, member of the board of UNIOR d.d.