Chinaforklift.com: Have Heli conducted investment on the development of heavy duty forklifts?

Li Hao: Yes. We specially established Heavy Duty Forklift Business Department and also Research Institute for developing new series of forklifts. On one hand, we tightly followed the development trend of the most advanced heavy duty forklift technology in the world and combined with the actual situation in our country so as to produce more forklifts to meet the demands of the market. On the other hand, we continued to improve the reliability and reduce the failure rate of our forklifts to provide the customers with first-class products. Till now, the product of Heli products had gained obvious improvement, which won praises from the customers as well as the professionals in the industry.
　
Chinaforklift.com: Mr. Li, can you introduce to us about the 32 ton forklifts launched onto the market?

Li Hao: Currently the market has a small demand on 32 ton forklifts. From 28 ton to 32 ton is a category. Seeing from the domestic market, there was certain market demand on 28 ton forklifts, but the marketing share of 28 ton forklifts was much less than that below 20 ton. 12-18 ton forklifts occupied most of the marketing shares, up to 75%. Based on this, we will try the best to grasp the market of the key components, such as engines, which has such a longer delivery cycle that it could not meet the demands on the domestic market.

Chinaforklift.com: How do you consider the situation of forklift industry in China?

Li Hao: As for the whole industrial vehicle industry, it has an increase of about 30% compared with the same period of last year. According to the statistics of CITA, the sales amount from January to September was 244,000 sets, exceeding the sales amount of the whole 2010. Although it was anticipated that the increasing rate would slow down in the fourth quarter, I believe the rate would keep being near 30%. This year, the market trend in China appeared to increase the most in the first quarter, then less in the second and third quarters. In my opinion, there will be an increasing of 5%-10% in the fourth quarter, and the whole year will keep an increasing rate of 30%. Anhui Heli kept the same pace with the development of industrial vehicle industry in China as Heli’s industrial vehicles had a large proportion in the statistics. Our sales amount from January to September had surpassed the sales amount of last year, realizing an increasing rate of more than 30%. It is expected that till the end of this year, we are able to realize our planed goal.
　
Chinaforklift.com: What is the plan or blueprint of Anhui Heli on developing new products?

Li Hao: HELI Technology Center was one of the first flows of national enterprise technology centers affirmed by the four National Ministry, which was titled to be Excellent Enterprise Technology Center in Anhui Province for successively 8 years from 2003 to 2010. Since the establishment, the Technology Center continuously strengthened the construction of structures to perfect the functions and to meet the demands of professional research and development. There are 661 professional technicians for research and development, 79 of whom were postgraduates. At present, the Technology Center had expanded to own 12 functional research institutes, 1 professional researching rooms and 1 pilot trial base from the initial two institutes and on product trial workshop. The functional organizations included a completed product research and development system such as frontier support platforms for public technologies and basic technologies, research and development platform for products and industries and after sales platform.

The Pilot Trial Base in HELI Technology Center has the ability to conduct experiments and trials, and is equipped with more than 100 sets of trial platforms for performance test and reliability trial for forklifts and spare parts, a number of advanced checking equipment and instrument, forklift trial station and AGV trial station that are leveled to be first class in China. Heli had constructed electronic platforms for 4C integrated product research and development system based on PDM and synergized information management system, eco-friendly forklift research and development platform taking eco-friendly emission control, transmission, electromagnetic compatibility, man-machine project and lost foam casting as the main research directions, aiming at providing steady guarantee in terms of soft and hard wares for the self-development of products.

In order to shorten the gaps with the world-class products on the aspects of technology and to accomplish more initiative and innovative results, Heli made preparations for constructing a key lab especially for industrial vehicles in Anhui Province, conducted related researches on the important issues of fundamental and key technologies such as vibration noise, transmission, new energy and hybrid power.