Jiangsu Province, China is Backbone of Automotive Lighting Sector

Backed by savvy marketing strategies and low-cost advantages, homegrown automotive lighting or lamp makers in China have been thriving in the domestic aftermarket and export market, although they have difficulty becoming cogs in the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supply chain for the domestic market. The reasons for such difficulty are likely related to size of operation. Simply put, small operators without sufficient capital and resources cannot set up independent or joint ventures to turn out OEM auto lighting.

Just as the car market in China is dominated by major global brands via joint ventures with local partners, so is the OEM auto lamp market. For examples, Audi, BMW and Volvo would only buy lighting from established OEM suppliers who are fully-owned or joint ventures, such as Tianjin Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.; Hubei Valeo Auto Lighting Systems Co., Ltd.; Shanghai Koito Automotive Lamp Co., Ltd.; Beijing Hella Automotive Lighting Ltd.; and Visteon TYC Auto Lamps Co., Ltd. Another reason that homegrown lighting makers cannot easily become OEM suppliers is the relatively high technical threshold, especially for high-end lights involving LEDs, HID modules, and even lenses for halogen headlights.

Currently, there are some 4,500 auto lamp makers in China who turn out a vast range of items, including headlamp, signal lamp, marker light, tail light, fog lamp, dashboard light, brake light, and mechanic's lamp, which are distributed not only domestically but also exported worldwide, including the Middle East, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Germany, the U.S., Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Canada.

Jiangsu Province, an eastern coastal province in China south of the Korean Peninsula and north of Taiwan, is a major auto lighting production base, notably Xiaohe township of Changzhou city and Jiebei township of Danyang city, where numerous factories cluster.

Xiaohe township, Changzhou city

Situated in the Changzhou National New Hi-Tech District is a major auto-parts and accessories production base in China boasting well-established industrial facilities. Established over 10 years ago, the Xiaohe Industrial Park inside the Changzhou National New Hi-Tech District, featuring complete infrastructure and necessary services, is home to over 80 enterprises, including ones from South Korea, the U.S., Taiwan, and Hong Kong, as well as a number of major auto lamp manufacturers. The following is a brief profile of a few notable auto lighting makers in Xiaohe Industrial Park.

Changzhou Xingyu Vehicle Lamp Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1993, the company turns out auto and motorcycle lamps, with annual output reaching 2.5 million units.

Changzhou Feituo Moulded Plastics Co., Ltd.

An export-oriented enterprise, the company turns out auto lamps, mirrors, bumpers, radiators, and auto accessories, which are shipped to various countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, as well as the U.S.

Jiangsu Tongming Automobile Lamp Co., Ltd.

A Sino-British joint venture, the company turns out over 200 kinds of lighting fixtures, with annual output reaching 800,000 units.

Jiepai township, Danyang city

In northeast Danyang city, Jiepai township now boasts eight industrial parks housing 300 manufacturers, including a number of auto lighting manufacturers, two of whom are profiled below.

DANYANG Huayang Auto Lamp Co. Ltd.

The company is a medium-sized enterprise turning out various automotive projection lamps, fog lamps, and auto mirrors, which are shipped to the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Changzhou Haituo Auto Parts Co., Ltd.

The Taiwanese-invested enterprise turns out lighting systems, cooling systems, auto body and chassis components.