On the global commercial vehicle market map, a force from the East is expanding its territory at an unprecedented pace. China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “CNHTC”), as a leader in China’s heavy-duty truck industry, not only plays a pivotal role in the domestic market but also writes a legend of “Made in China” on the international stage. From January to September this year, its heavy-duty truck exports reached 111,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 24.5%; in September alone, exports exceeded 15,000 units for the first time, once again breaking the export record of China’s heavy-duty truck industry and consolidating its leading position of “half the market share” in China’s heavy-duty truck exports.
01 Why has CNHTC achieved such substantial growth?
“We are very stable in traditional markets. Sales in Africa and Southeast Asia increased by 37.4% and 41.5% year-on-year, respectively. We have also achieved rapid development in the high-end market, with sales in the Middle East increasing by 28.7% year-on-year,” said Liu Zhengtao, Chairman of CNHTC, in an interview with China Automotive News.
Why has CNHTC achieved such substantial growth in its export performance? Ultimately, this success is the result of a combination of favorable “objective environment” and strong “subjective
factors.”
From an objective perspective, the complex changes in the global economy have provided a historic window of opportunity for China’s heavy-duty truck industry. On the one hand, global economic growth has kept demand for commodities high, and logistics and infrastructure construction activities in developing countries and emerging economies have remained active, directly boosting demand for heavy-duty trucks as means of production. On the other hand, the brand image of “Made in China” has achieved a qualitative leap in the global commercial vehicle sector. After years of market testing, Chinese heavy-duty trucks have won increasing recognition from international customers for their reliability, economy, and applicability, with overall brand recognition continuously improving, paving the way for the rapid growth of leading companies.
However, attributing growth entirely to the overall trend is undoubtedly one-sided. The fundamental reason for China National Heavy Duty Truck Group’s (CNHTC) strong export momentum lies in its powerful subjective initiative and systematic competitiveness.
Firstly, a forward-looking internationalization strategy combined with a deep localization foundation. The “going global” strategy, firmly implemented since 2004, has allowed CNHTC to accumulate 21 years of experience in overseas markets. This is not simply trade export, but rather deep localized operation. Liu Zhengtao told reporters that, to date, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC) has built a vast global network comprising 230 dealers, 400 service outlets, and 30 overseas factories. This system, like a tree deeply rooted in local soil, not only keenly senses changes in market demand but also provides timely and efficient service guarantees, alleviating users’ concerns. In traditionally strong markets such as Africa and Southeast Asia, its sales have achieved high growth rates of 37.4% and 41.5% respectively, clearly demonstrating its solid market foundation and prominent network effect.
Secondly, precise product positioning and continuous performance improvement. CNHTC deeply understands the segmented nature of the global market and offers a diversified product matrix, ranging from economical to mid-to-high-end models, catering to the needs of different regions. While maintaining its traditional advantage of high cost-effectiveness, CNHTC has made its product performance advantages in energy saving, environmental protection, intelligence, and reliability even more pronounced through continuous technological innovation, precisely addressing the core pain points of most global markets.
02 Sinotruk’s Comprehensive Advancement from Mid-to-High-End to High-End
When we place Sinotruk on the global stage, competing with traditional European and American commercial vehicle companies, how competitive does it truly stand? Sinotruk has a clear understanding and confidence in this regard.
Liu Zhengtao divides the global heavy-duty truck market into three tiers: high-end, mid-to-high-end, and economical/practical. He frankly states, “After more than twenty years of international market development and continuous improvement in product strength, in the mid-to-high-end and economical/practical markets, we believe we are no less competitive than, or even inferior to, some of our role models—European and American commercial vehicle companies.”
This assessment is not unfounded. In the vast developing markets of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Sinotruk’s products, with their superior adaptability, extremely high uptime, and more competitive total life-cycle costs, have become the first choice for many customers, even forming brand preference in some markets.
However, Sinotruk also maintains humility and rationality. Liu Zhengtao also pointed out, “In the high-end market, we are still learning from top-tier companies in Europe and America. We believe that one day, through our efforts, we will achieve a significant improvement in the high-end market, whether in terms of product competitiveness, market share, or brand influence.”
In Liu Zhengtao’s view, the three core pillars supporting its current competitiveness and future confidence are: First, strong independent R&D capabilities. China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC) has a research and development team of nearly 8,000 people and invests approximately 3 billion yuan annually in R&D, building positive development capabilities and core technology barriers. Second, a strong marketing and service network. CNHTC has a global sales and after-sales service network, ensuring customer experience and brand loyalty. Third, strong intelligent manufacturing capabilities. CNHTC has invested 15 billion yuan to build the Laiwu Green Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park, creating a world-leading manufacturing base. At the same time, inheriting the “morning meeting” tradition of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, CNHTC studies quality improvement daily without fail, integrating “quality first” into the company’s operations.
03 CNHTC’s Steady Progress Amidst Challenges and Opportunities
Looking to the future, the global commercial vehicle market presents both opportunities and challenges. Geopolitical and trade frictions may cause local market fluctuations, but the fundamentals of global economic recovery and infrastructure demand determine that the total volume of the heavy-duty truck market will continue to grow. How to maintain and expand its current export advantages? China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC) has a clear and firm path.
First, it will steadfastly deepen its global operations. Future competition will be systemic. CNHTC will continue to improve its integrated overseas marketing model encompassing sales, service, parts, and finance, and further promote localized production, integrating more deeply into local economies and enhancing its resilience.
Second, it will relentlessly pursue the high-end market. CNHTC will continuously increase its R&D investment, benchmark against the world’s most cutting-edge technologies, and achieve a leapfrog development in areas such as new energy, intelligent connectivity, and autonomous driving, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of its high-end products. Liu Zhengtao’s confidence comes from data: “From January to September 2025, CNHTC’s cumulative sales of heavy-duty trucks will achieve global leadership for the first time. We believe that through our efforts, we will definitely achieve a breakthrough in both quality and quantity in the high-end market.”
Finally, it will persistently solidify its lifeline of quality and efficiency. From the “hardware” of intelligent manufacturing to the “software” of refined management, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC) will continue to hone its internal strengths, consolidating its comprehensive competitive advantage across the entire value chain with higher quality, faster response times, and lower operating costs.
Liu Zhengtao stated that CNHTC will continue to consolidate its leading export advantage, striving to achieve its goal of exporting 150,000 vehicles annually by 2025, further solidifying its leading position in the global heavy-duty truck industry.
CNHTC’s export journey is a long one, initiated by vision, solidified by hard work, and driven by innovation. It has proven the value of “long-termism” in 21 years. From obscurity to global leadership, CNHTC has not only successfully driven Chinese heavy-duty trucks to every corner of the world, but has also explored a unique development path in the fierce competition and cooperation of the global commercial vehicle industry.
