[photopress:beijing_bombardier.jpg,full,alignright]At Beijing’s massive new airport terminal visitors to the Olympics will use an automated train system. The two-kilometer ‘people-mover’ line will be the first fully automated train system in China, operating without any human drivers.
The trains are emblazoned with the Olympic symbol and the ‘CAH’ logo of Capital Airports Holding, the state agency that ordered the train system.
In fact, they are produced by the Canadian company Bombardier but that company keep a low profile.
Bombardier’s president of China operations, Jianwei Zhang, thinks this low-key approach has been crucial to Bombardier’s success in China.
Bombardier defers to its government customers, deals mainly with state agencies, stays behind the scenes and remains nearly unknown to ordinary Chinese consumers.
Jianwei Zhang said, ‘Bombardier keeps a very low profile in China. We never advertise. We don’t like to talk too much. I prefer action, not talk. It’s the Chinese way: modest and low profile.’
In May, the company got its second big Chinese order for its automated people-mover technology, winning a $71-million contract for a four-kilometre underground line in a district of Guangzhou.
Bombardier has also signed three other transportation contracts in China this year, and it is negotiating two others. It is discussing the possible sale of its people-mover technology to airports in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing. And it is in a strong position to win a second phase contract to expand the Beijing people-mover to the airport’s older terminals.
Bombardier also won a $68-million contract to provide 40 railway cars for the new rapid transit link between the Beijing airport and the city subway line. It will deliver its first set of train cars for the transit link in mid-September.
Bombardier has also signed a memorandum of understanding with China Aviation Industry for a $500-million deal for investment in airplane development projects.
Source: Globe and Mail
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