Bid farewell to the old year of horse and welcome the new year of goat. In the past 2014, BBAC fully implemented the business principles of “Your wish our ways, operate with responsibility, the best or nothing, manufacture through lean management”, and built strong core competitiveness for the company. It has achieved a yearly increase in the annual production of 25% and other brilliant achievements in 2014. In the past year, the company has been constantly exploring new fields and creating new history in both the strategic level such as enterprise development and implementation of key projects, as well as the operational management level such as enterprise production and operation, quality management, personnel training, and team building. For BBAC at the 10th anniversary of its founding, these achievements are not only an award for past efforts, but also a motivation for future development.

As the leading Chinese world-class automobile manufacturing company, BBAC is not only a representative of the premium manufacturing industry in Beijing, but also a model of Sino-German economic cooperation. Since its foundation in 2005, BAIC Group and Daimler have been deepening the breadth and depth of their cooperation. In particular in 2014, the two parties signed an agreement to further expand BBAC’s production capacity and the localization of Mercedes-Benz’s new-generation luxury compact models, adding extremely strong momentum for the sustainable development of BBAC. As a result, the cooperation between China and Germany has formally entered the level of planning market layout and sharing core technology and production process. BBAC has also reached a higher stage in product layout, R&D, manufacturing and others.

From 2009 when the best-selling C-Class sedan in the Mercedes-Benz brand system was introduced, to 2010 when the oldest long wheelbase E-Class sedan in the Benz family saw production commencement, and then to 2012 when the GLK-class premium mid-size SUV with unique style was introduced, BBAC has constantly included the core products of Mercedes-Benz into itself. As a result, its products are getting increasingly competitive. In 2014, BBAC not only succeeded in creating a new Mercedes-Benz long wheelbase C-class car model that changed the pattern, but also absorbed the currently hot GLA models in the market, thus completing the horizontal expansion of its product structure and laying a good foundation for the market expansion in 2015. In particular, BBAC has always taken the preference of Chinese consumers and the actual use environment of vehicles as an important basis for R&D testing, and has, based on this, created a vehicle model that meets the need of consumers, and combines the best engine, controllability, safety, comfort and functionality into one. It has truly realized “Made for China”. What makes this happen is the industry-leading R&D testing and manufacturing capabilities of BBAC.

In September 2014, with the official launch of BBAC R&D center, the local Mercedes-Benz R&D testing was gradually unveiled. This R&D Center, together with Mercedes-Benz Passenger Vehicle China R&D Center, all belong to the Daimler R&D system. It is also the largest and the only R&D center of Daimler’s joint ventures with a trial manufacturing shop of prototype vehicles, consisting of three core sections, namely, the seven advanced laboratories (including climate corrosion, finished vehicle emissions, engine and vibration noise), the R&D and trial manufacturing shop, as well as the test driveway. It can provide the technical solutions together with the Mercedes-Benz Passenger Vehicle China R&D Center and the local German R&D Center, so as to provide important technical support for the R&D and production of Mercedes-Benz locally-produced models.

Of course, the strong manufacturing capabilities are also needed as guarantee to implement the technical solutions provided by the R&D center and benefit consumers. In this regard, BBAC has given its answer of historical significance. Since June 2014, the three core components of the cylinder block, cylinder head and crankshaft produced by the BBAC Engine Plant have been exported to Germany in succession for the machine assembly in the Daimler German engine plant. This marks both BBAC’s official incorporation into the Daimler global procurement supply chain system, and the quality of its engine products completely reaching the global standard of Daimler. At present, the annual export volume of the three core components has reached 49,031 units in 2014. Such achievements have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the development history of China’s automotive industry. Because it has not only made “Made in China” onto the stage of the world’s premium auto industry, but also made the world see the potential of Chinese auto industry and the determination and ability of people engaged in the China’s automotive industry.

From the upgrading of product system to the leap in R&D and manufacturing capabilities, the constant investment in BBAC by Chinese and German shareholders is being transformed into tangible benefits that can promote the development of Chinese premium automotive industry. It is also an important factor that has contributed to the successive excellent performances of BBAC in 2014. This successful development model has also clearly demonstrated the true essence of joint ventures in achieving sustainable development. Only by taking user interests and industrial reform as one’s own responsibility and integrating with the enterprise own development, can the “Win-win development goals in the future” be truly achieved. In 2015, BBAC will usher in an important node of the 10th anniversary since its foundation. It’s sure that BBAC is bound to create its own golden age and lead the Chinese premium auto manufacturing industry to embrace a more exciting and bright future by relying on the current advantages in enterprise strength, manufacturing capacity, process quality, and quality management, as well as the offline of domestic GLA models, MFA Plant, full input of MRA II Plant and other new opportunities!