"Work, work, work. That's how I met the Chinese. That’s how we met and together we will continue to create value." With these words, Alfredo Amadei, Chairman of Immerfin, the multinational company with Italian capital that for almost sixty years has focused on the most innovative solutions for home climate sustainability, opened a meeting in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, with over a hundred Chinese customers and suppliers to celebrate the first 26 years of Immergas in China and the fifth anniversary of the opening of the new production plant, the fourth in the world after the headquarters in Brescello, Italy, Immergas Europe in Poprad, Slovakia, and Immergas Pad in Quazvin, Iran.
«In 26 years, I've seen China change, and the result of our work is positive» comments Alfredo Amadei, Chairman of Immerfin. «Immergas can base its strategies on 26 years of experience in the Chinese market. We have established a plant that, for five years, has been producing quality boilers and home climate equipment, and market trends confirm our success. Our intention is to continue on this path, create products that are not only cutting-edge but also meet the needs of a rapidly evolving market, and, why not, follow the regulatory evolution aimed at the green vision we see in Europe and around the world. Being able to stay close to our customers' needs is undoubtedly the basis for future success, and regarding new investments in China, we will certainly consider strengthening the facility in the Changzhou National High-tech District (CND) because demands are increasing. The current production capacity can reach a maximum of one hundred thousand boilers per year, but the Chinese market is rapidly evolving towards new products, and consequently, Immergas will have to make new investments to strengthen the production unit, thereby creating new jobs in China».
In China, the Immerfin group offers a complete range of products ranging from 18 kW to 99 kW, with 31 models: 25 are imported, and 6 have been designed and created specifically for the Chinese market, produced in the Changzhou production unit.
«It's been twenty years since 2003, since the opening of our commercial branch in Beijing, where, in addition to the commercial unit, which will remain in the future, we cover all logistical needs. In 2008, we also opened the pre and post-sales technical centre in Beijing. In 2014, upon the fiftieth anniversary of the group's founding, the number of Immergas wall-hung boilers installed in Chinese homes was already 200,000. Now, as we prepare for our sixtieth anniversary, the boilers installed in China are more than half a million, and we will continue to grow with low-emission and low-consumption condensation technology," adds Bruno Rinaldi, General Manager of Immergas China. «Made in Italy is essential to grow in China. The Chinese consumer pays strong attention to the Italian brand. We have a great reputation. Being present in China with production is crucial because we have maintained very high-quality standards for the Chinese market».
Immergas Heating Equipment (Changzhou) Co. Ltd, which has unified commercial activities (headquartered in Beijing) with production activities (in Changzhou), has developed thanks to an investment exceeding 3 million Euros. The Chinese company is on track to achieve a turnover of 20 million Euros with around thirty employees, selling in China under the Immergas and Glimobo brands.
Already, over 60% of devices produced by the Immerfin group (Immergas, Alpha Heating Innovation in the UK, and Glimobo only in China) are destined overseas. With a global turnover of 555 million Euro (38.4% of which from foreign markets), over 1,000 employees and production plants in Italy, China, Slovakia, and Iran, for many years now Immergas has been consistently achieving double-digit growth in its key indicators while maintaining profitability levels that enable significant investments both in Italy and abroad.
«Surely, the Chinese market remains a strategic reference point for the Immerfin group, so much so that only in China and a few other countries, in Italy, Slovakia, and Iran, we have a production hub where we also have our market» - comments Massimo Maini, Foreign Subsidiaries Director at Immergas. «It's a strong investment that confirms our belief in the Chinese market and its future development potential. It's important to note that what is produced in Changzhou is entirely intended for the Chinese domestic market and is not exported».
Tang Rong, Secretary-General of the China Gas Heating Specialty Committee, confirmed that this year, China's natural gas consumption will reach 390 billion cubic metres and is projected to reach 460 billion cubic meters by 2025, with a peak of 700 billion cubic meters by 2040, which is good news for the entire gas appliance sector.
During the event, Immergas presented awards to the Chinese partners who achieved the best performances over the 26 years of collaboration.
The year 2024 will be a special year for Immergas, marking its sixtieth anniversary since its foundation. The Director of Marketing Operations and Communications at Immergas Ettore Bergamaschi announced the guidelines for the celebrations, also in China: «The celebrations will commence on February 5, 2024, the day of the company's foundation, but will unfold throughout the year, both in Italy and abroad, with a focus on the MCE Expocomfort Fair (March 12 - 15, 2024), where Immergas will present many innovations in both product range and services».
«While we are aware of the difficulties associated with the pandemic phase and recovery» - concludes Lorenzo Riccardi, Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China (CICC) – «we must consider the scale of a market that has a specific interest in the quality of Made in Italy. Opportunities are linked to population numbers and the vastness of this huge country. It's the leading country in industrial production and will increasingly be so from a technological development perspective. In China, the quality of our technology and of our country are appreciated and they will be even more so in the future».
