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China has established itself as a global hub for innovation, offering new business opportunities for foreign companies deeply involved in the Chinese market, according to industry insiders at French manufacturing firms operating in China.
Ludovic Weber, president of Saint-Gobain Asia-Pacific, stated, “China has become a center of innovation and a driving force for sustainable growth,” noting that Shanghai serves as the company’s Asia-Pacific headquarters and is a major global research and development hub for them. Saint-Gobain, a French company specializing in sustainable construction, produces high-performance materials and solutions that are extensively used across emerging industries like robotics, semiconductors, and energy storage.
“These products present high technical barriers, and the market demand for them is expanding rapidly,” Weber explained. He mentioned that the company has partnered with Chinese firms to develop humanoid robots and sees substantial growth prospects in this sector.
Over the past couple of years, Chinese companies have significantly improved their export capabilities, not only exporting individual products but also entire factories. They offer comprehensive services covering design, manufacturing, transportation, installation of equipment, and operational debugging, according to Paul Sheng, CEO of Saint-Gobain China.
“These export projects are sizeable, with some orders valued at hundreds of millions of yuan,” Sheng said. “They involve full integration, from technical standards to equipment production.” Although this trend is relatively new, Sheng emphasized that it is progressing quickly. “Such initiatives not only boost the global competitiveness of China’s manufacturing industry but also open new growth avenues for international suppliers like us.”
Saint-Gobain’s products and technological systems have already penetrated markets across Southeast Asia and Europe, alongside their full production lines in China, Sheng added.
The rapid digitalization occurring in China has created fertile ground for innovation among French industrial companies. For example, Dassault Systèmes, a leading industrial software firm, teamed up with Chinese hardware, software, and materials provider Zhongda Digital Technology to launch China’s first industrial-grade software platform specifically designed for the manufacturing construction sector.
Samson Khaou, the global executive vice president of Dassault Systèmes and head of its Asia-Pacific division, explained, “China’s infrastructure is entering a new phase driven by data, efficient collaboration, and sustainable, low-carbon practices.” This transformation presents promising new growth opportunities for the company in the region. The software platform integrates features like digital twins, simulation analysis, data collaboration, and industrial artificial intelligence, and has already been used in designing buildings in China, including smart hospitals.
Looking ahead, Dassault Systèmes intends to ramp up efforts in areas such as building materials, waste management, and sustainability practices within the construction industry.
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