Car Wheel Rims & Covers

This 78-page China Sourcing Report profiles 37 of the 70 car wheel rim and cover exporters from China, and three of the top exporters from Taiwan.
Containing profiles of 50 percent of China's suppliers, it is the most comprehensive supply-industry report available to you today.

With it you will get inside information on the manufacturers that produce rims and covers for leading auto companies, including price guides, export projections and R&D plans.

Plus you'll get an in-depth industry overview, with coverage of trends, new products, and other issues that can give you a competitive advantage in the months ahead.

What you'll get

15 in-depth profiles of major car wheel rim and cover manufacturers based on factory tours and interviews with senior managers. These provide detailed information on suppliers' product offerings, manufacturing capabilities and future plans

22 short profiles of additional suppliers with key facts such as production capacities, production checklists, export ratios and major export markets

Detailed and comparative product descriptions for 91 best-selling car wheel rims and covers

Supplier rankings by key capabilities such as production capacities, assembly lines, export sales, R&D resources and QC staffing levels

How you'll benefit

Obtain the results of Global Sources' latest supplier survey, forecasting price, product, production and R&D trends for car wheel rims and covers over the next 12 months

Identify which companies already have VIA (Japan), TUV, SFI and ISO/TS16949 approvals, and which companies are supplying direct to the aftermarket

Discover which manufacturers have their own aluminum-alloy smelting plants and which have started using magnesium alloy — lighter and stronger than aluminum alloy — in their range of wheel rims

Get in-depth analysis of suppliers' raw-material sourcing policies and assess which manufacturers are more successful than others in keeping prices low despite rising raw-material costs

Executive summary

China's car wheel rim and cover industry is growing rapidly, fueled by the booming auto industry in the mainland. Ford, Fiat, Toyota, GM, Volvo, Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan and Isuzu are some of the international automakers that have set up production facilities in China.
The country exported US$562.2 million worth of wheel rims and covers in 2003, and exports from January to April 2004 grew 71 percent from US$158 million in the first four months of 2003 to US$270.3 million.

Impressive growth is expected to continue in the coming years. Output for aluminum wheel rims alone is forecast to grow 120 percent from 26.4 million units in 2003 to 40 million units this year.

This is reiterated in the Global Sources Supplier Survey, which shows the majority of companies forecasting increased sales in 2005. Most of them will also increase production capacities to meet the anticipated surge in export demand.

China has more than 200 manufacturers of car wheel rims and covers, but only about 70 of these suppliers are capable of export — nearly half of which are featured in this report.

These companies produce aluminum and steel wheel rims, and aluminum and ABS wheel covers or hubcaps. Aluminum wheel rims, which dominate production and exports, are used for cars, SUVs and light-duty trucks while steel wheel rims are for heavy-duty trucks. Among the 37 companies featured in this report car wheel rims dominate export production with a 56 percent share. Truck wheel rims make up 31 percent of exports.

The country's main export markets are North America, Asia and the European Union. Fifty-seven percent of total exports are shipped to the United States alone. Although only 13 percent of export production is allotted to wheel covers, one-third of U.S. hubcap imports in 2003 come from China, at a value of US$26 million.

Our supplier survey shows that most companies view the United States as the market with the highest growth potential in the next 12 months, but the European Union and Asia follow closely. Eager to increase orders from Europe, makers have taken steps to meet the requirements of EU buyers.

One main concern of China suppliers is the increasing cost of raw materials. The cost of steel and aluminum has increased 70 percent and 50 percent, respectively, over the past six months.

A few suppliers that are now unable to absorb the increased costs are planning to raise prices in the next few months. However, the majority will maintain prices at current levels by absorbing additional costs and cutting overhead spending.

Typically, vertically integrated companies are able to maintain their prices for a longer duration period than those that subcontract most production processes. Having their own smelting plants, for instance, enables companies to keep prices stable.

Industry overview

Mainland China exported US$562.2 million worth of car wheel rims and covers in 2003. In the first four months of 2004, exports reached a value of US$270.3 million — marking 71 percent growth over an export value of US$158 million in the same period in 2003. The United States is the biggest importer of China-made rims and covers, absorbing US$297 million worth in 2003, 53 percent of China's total exports for that year.

The growth of China's car wheel rim and cover industry is accelerated by the mainland's thriving auto industry. Many international car and truck companies have set up joint-venture factories in China — including Ford, Fiat, Toyota, GM, Volvo, Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan and Isuzu — to take advantage of low labor and production costs, as well as the growing China market.

Likewise, many foreign manufacturers of wheel rims and covers have formed joint ventures in China.

China produces aluminum (for use in cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs) and steel wheel rims (for heavy-duty trucks), and wheel covers or hubcaps. There are about 200 small-to-large manufacturers of wheel rims and covers and 70 exporters. Wheel rims dominate combined production and exports with close to 90 percent export share.

Heavy inflow of foreign investment — primarily from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and the United States — is centered on aluminum wheel rim production. The resulting JV companies produce wheel rims for both the China factories of these leading automakers, and for export to the aftermarkets.

Private enterprises are also lured by the strong growth of the aluminum wheel rim industry. Twenty-two percent of the companies surveyed for this report have been in the industry for five years at the most. These suppliers produce almost entirely for export, shipping mainly to overseas automakers. Those that sell locally cater mostly to domestic aftermarkets.

About one-third of the companies featured in this report — an almost equal mix of privately owned and foreign-invested companies — have up to five years' experience in manufacturing aluminum wheel rims.

Exports of aluminum wheel rims totaled 26.4 million units in 2003, up 47 percent from 2002's 18 million units. Mining and metal industry information provider Beijing Antaike Information Development Co. Ltd projects aluminum wheel rim output in 2004 will increase more than 120 percent to 40 million units against a capacity of 45 million. Capacity is forecast to increase 10 million units each year to 2009.

Top aluminum wheel rim makers in mainland China are Liufeng Machinery Industry, Dicastal Wheel, Zhejiang Wanfeng Auwei Auto Wheel, Nanhai Zhongnan Aluminium Wheel, Xiamen Mingxing Industry, China Wheel and Wheeltech Aluminum Industry. All of these companies have annual capacities exceeding 1 million units.

These companies are located mainly in the provinces of Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

Samples of supplier profile

Dongfeng Automotive Wheel Co. Ltd
Dongfeng Automotive, one of China's leading wheel rim manufacturers, has an in-house test and inspection center recognized by the Scientific Technology Corp. of the China Machinery Automotive Dept. as one of the supervision stations of automotive wheel rim standards. It can test wheel rims from other companies for compliance with national standards.

Established in 1969, Dongfeng Automotive is a fully owned subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Dongfeng Automotive has two steel-wheel rim factories in Hubei province: one in Shiyan, which serves as the main office and factory, and another in Suizhou. It also has a joint-venture factory in Tianmen — Dongfeng-China Wheel Tianmen Aluminum Wheel Co. Ltd — where aluminum wheel rims are made.

Dongfeng Automotive manufactured 2.7 million wheel rims last year — against a capacity of 4.3 million units — 70 percent of which were supplied to the Dongfeng Automotive Group. The company exported 15 percent of output to Malaysia, Pakistan and North America. Although the company has export rights, about 60 percent of exports go through trading companies. Other local companies absorb the remaining output.

The ISO 9001-certified company received QS-9000 certification in 2000 and has extended the system coverage to wheels, pulleys and small to midsized stamping parts. The Suizhou factory obtained TS 16949 approval in 2002. The company has also passed the quality standards of the China Space Administration Ministry and Cummins, Dongfeng-Citroen and Changhe-Suzuki Co.

Products
Dongfeng Automotive manufactures more than 40 types of automotive wheel rims, engine pulleys and other automotive stampings for heavy-, middle- and light- duty trucks and passenger cars, minicars, and agricultural and special purpose vehicles.

The company produces wheel rims for both cars and trucks, priced at US$10 to US$20 and US$70 to US$120 respectively, depending on the size.

Fifty R&D staff focus on product optimization — reducing weight and improving strength while maintaining performance. Software such as CAD, CAPP and FEA is used to produce more than 200 new products annually.

While products are manufactured mainly according to buyers' specifications, the company suggests alternatives to wheel rim structure and materials that will help meet the requirements of its clients.

Sample of product gallery

Car wheel rims Asia Wheels Model: R601 Minimum order: 100 units Packaging type: Carton Delivery time: 40 days Indicated price: US$128.00 (for 20 inches) Description: Aluminum alloy; available in passenger car and SUV fitments; TUV, JWL, SFI, DOT approved

And more... To see the full Executive Summary order now .

Global Sources Industry-specific China Sourcing Reports

All this column of information contained in China Sourcing Reports is the result of original, independent and impartial research conducted by Global Sources analysts.

If you'd like to order the China Sourcing Reports, please go to Global Sources website - http://www.globalsources.com, or click here. It is simply and convenient.