Cao Dewang, chairman of Fuyao Glass Industry Group
【1】 【2】 【3】 【4】 【5】 【6】 【7】 【8】 【9】 【10】
【11】 【12】 Cao founded Fuyao Glass in 1985, China's first domestic auto glassmaker, seeking to break the dominance of foreign imports in the market.
Now with a more than 50 percent share the market, Fuyao is now China's biggest auto glassmaker. In the middle to high-end passenger vehicle market, its 71 percent share is even more dominant.
Fuyao Glass supplies all top 10 carmakers operating in China, and is also a provider to household names such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley and Daimler Chrysler. It is now in international markets competing against better-known global rivals.
Its exports almost doubled in just two years to 1.46 billion yuan in 2007. Sales increased by 33 and 28 percent in 2006 and 2007 respectively. With such a strong growth momentum, the company vows to catch up with top global players in the next five years.
Q: As a successful entrepreneur, how do you define the entrepreneurial spirit?
A: For me, it means pursuit of excellence and challenging the limits. This motto has been encouraging me for the past 20 years.
Q: What is the most valuable lesson you've learned from running your business?
A: A book by an English writer says character is the source of individual strength, which has edified me a lot. I believe that before starting a business, an entrepreneur should build up his or her personality, which is the foundation of a career. An entrepreneur should be trustworthy.
Q: What event has impressed you most in Fuyao's history?
A: In 1999, we took over a stake that Saint-Gobain Co Ltd had held. It is a move that I will be proud of all my life.
Fuyao was running at a loss in 1998. We located the problem and found out the solution. I believed that the solution would work but our overseas investors said they didn't have confidence and wanted to withdraw.
As a result, we bought back their shares at the price no less than the investment they had made.
Money is no big deal, compared with the mutual respect between business cooperators.
I still take a pride in the deal that was made in a difficult time, an act to guarantee the reputation of our Chinese entrepreneurs.
Q: What is the core driving force behind Fuyao''''s brisk growth in recent years?
A: It is a highly patriotic consciousness as well as an acute market sense.
Since starting up business, I have told employees "we are making glass for our country". We have never got involved in hefty-profit business like real estate, because we are honoring our pledge: to produce premium quality glass, which is in short supply in our country.
Since we gained control over the company in 1999, we have set up more than 10 plants in nine provinces and nine companies as well as five offices in seven countries to begin a worldwide distribution network.
Our goal is to build up a top global brand through worldwide sourcing.
【1】 【2】 【3】 【4】 【5】 【6】 【7】 【8】 【9】 【10】
【11】 【12】 
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article