NANJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The cylinder plant of Hyva Mechanics (China) Co., Ltd., located in Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, was bustling with activity when Yin Yan, the company's operations and supply chain director, proudly introduced the company's hydraulic cylinder products to a group of visiting journalists.

Outside the plant, cylinder products were neatly packaged and tagged with client information, including addresses and contact details, waiting to be delivered to various locations across the country. This setup highlighted a strong demand in the Chinese market for Hyva's hydraulic cylinders, which are essential components that provide power for heavy-duty tipping trucks.

As one of the world's leading providers of transport solutions for the commercial vehicle and environmental service industries, the Netherlands-headquartered multinational company established the Hyva Mechanics (China) Co., Ltd. in 2004. Since then, the Chinese subsidiary has witnessed a meteoric rise, enabling the group to gain more than 40 percent of the global market share in front-end tipping cylinders.

During a press event held at a meeting room of the company recently, Zhang Xingbing, chairman of Hyva Mechanics (China) Co., Ltd., said that Hyva has enjoyed fast business expansion amid China's rapid economic growth. "During our more than 20 years of operations in China, the company has reaped the benefits from the country's infrastructure development boom in real estate as well as in railways and roads construction."

He said that by seizing this opportunity, Hyva's China subsidiary and the group as a whole have achieved robust development.

As the Chinese economy transitions toward high-quality growth, the company's production base in China has also been investing in automation upgrade and digitization in an effort to further enhance the competitiveness and market appeal of its products, according to Yin.

Regarding the company's investment outlook in China, Zhang believes that the Chinese production base will play an increasingly vital role in the group's overall business strategies. This is primarily attributed to China's strong industrial capabilities, supply chain advantages, and a supportive business environment.

"From the strategic corporate planning point of view, I believe the importance of industrial and supply chains in China will only rise rather than shrink in Hyva's business planning in the future," said Zhang.

Hyva is among more than a dozen European firms that have gathered in the Sino-Europe (Yangzhou) Intelligent Manufacturing Park which focuses on three main industries, including high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy industries and new generation information technology.

The Yangzhou-based park also epitomizes the broader international investment and trade cooperation taking place in Jiangsu Province, a major manufacturing hub in the world's second-largest economy.

According to data provided by the provincial commerce department, since the beginning of this year, the actual investment in Jiangsu by countries such as Germany, Japan and Switzerland has all increased by more than 90 percent year on year.

In neighboring Changzhou City, also in Jiangsu Province, Ypsomed, a Switzerland-headquartered developer and manufacturer of injection systems for the self-administration of liquid medication, is banking on the vast Chinese market for its products amid the growing medical needs of people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

Ypsomed's Changzhou production base was first established in October 2022. Predicting a rapid market growth in this sector in China, the group further increased its production capacity at the Changzhou production base in July 2024 with more investment in three new production lines.

Following the expansion, the plant now possesses a capacity that can produce up to 100 million injection devices annually, according to Tao Jielin, head of manufacturing at Ypsomed's Changzhou plant.

"You just look at the sheer size of China. It's a big landmass. You have 1.4 billion people here," said Reto Felber, general manager & plant manager of Ypsomed (China) Manufacturing Co., Ltd., explaining the firm's investment decision in China.

The decision by Ypsomed to establish a production base in Changzhou is driven by several favorable factors, including its strategic location, efficient logistics, competitive production costs, and strong supply chain advantages. According to Reto, a supportive business environment also plays a key role in the company's investment decision. "The local government understands the needs of companies like us, and it is very supportive."

Reto observed that there is also a trend favoring the development of injected liquid medicine due to its higher efficiency compared to orally taken pills which have to go through the digestive system. In this regard, China represents an emerging consumer market, particularly as the government places increasing emphasis on the management of chronic diseases. ■