From April 24 to 26, Man Shengang, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, visited Japan to inspect the Weichai Tokyo Innovation Center and Lovol Osaka Innovation Center. He met with partners in technological innovation and high-end supply chains, and witnessed the signing of key cooperation agreements. Ma Changhai, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of the Group, participated in the research activities.
Transforming Japanese Innovation Centers into Strategic Outposts for Cutting-Edge Technology
Man Shengang visited both the Weichai Tokyo Innovation Center and Lovol Osaka Innovation Center, where he met with local employees, reviewed progress reports, and held discussions with experts. During the visit, the Weichai Tokyo Innovation Center signed cooperation agreements with Sinotruk for pickup truck development and lean manufacturing projects. The two Japanese innovation centers serve as strategic anchors for Shandong Heavy Industry Group's global R&D system and supply chain network. The Weichai Tokyo Innovation Center focuses on powertrain systems and commercial vehicle development, while the Lovol Osaka Innovation Center specializes in agricultural equipment and construction machinery R&D. Since their establishment, these centers have leveraged Japan's advanced industrial ecosystems, technological expertise, and talent networks to drive collaborative innovation with local partners, significantly enhancing the Group's product offerings, technological capabilities, and market competitiveness.
Man Shengang stated that Shandong Heavy Industry Group's strategic vision is to build a world-class multinational group specializing in high-end equipment with technological leadership and green development. The two Japanese innovation centers must aim high and shoulder their responsibilities, advancing their work with broader vision, higher standards, and greater intensity to serve as cutting-edge strongholds driving the Group toward global excellence. They must benchmark against top-tier enterprises, learning from the strong and dancing with giants, grasping not only their "form" but also their "essence," not just their "appearance" but their "soul." This will continuously enhance capabilities in technological innovation, supply chain management, and quality control. Deepening industry-academia-research-application integration, the centers should focus on practicality and results, strengthening collaboration in technological innovation and supply chain exchanges to build a complementary, win-win community of R&D, value, and shared future. By creating a dynamic platform for innovation, fostering efficient synergy between Chinese and Japanese R&D teams, and implementing mechanisms for mutual assignments, the centers must persistently innovate and scale new heights to make greater contributions to the Group's technological advancement.
Expanding Open Innovation Partnerships, Pioneering Green Power Technologies
During his research visit in Japan, Man Shengang met with several key partners and witnessed the signing of cutting-edge technology cooperation agreements. Nipon Piston Ring Co., Ltd. (NPR) specializes in the R&D and production of critical engine components such as piston rings, valve seats, and camshafts. In Tokyo, Man met with Yasunori Maekawa, Chairman and CEO of NPR, and Teruo Takahashi, President and COO, and attended the signing ceremony of a cooperation project between Weichai Power and NPR. The two parties will further collaborate in advanced technology fields such as piston ring development for methanol and hydrogen engines, jointly driving the R&D and application of green, low-carbon engine technologies.
Man Shenggang visited HORIBA, Ltd. in Shiga Prefecture, meeting with President Masayuki Adachi and attending the signing ceremony of a cooperation project between Weichai Power and HORIBA. HORIBA is a global leader in analysis and measurement instruments, with its emissions testing equipment playing a pivotal role in the automotive industry worldwide. The two parties will deepen collaboration in advanced solutions for China's upcoming National VII emission standards for diesel engines, as well as testing technologies for hydrogen-ammonia, alcohol-ether, and synthetic fuel engines, along with application technologies and equipment for non-road engines. This partnership will further solidify Weichai's leadership in green power development.
Representatives from Weichai Group, Sinotruk, Weichai Lovol Smart Agriculture, and Lovol Heavy Industry participated in the event.