20 years is enough time for an industry to change dramatically, and the heavy-duty truck industry is no exception. Over the past 20 years, many once glorious heavy-duty truck brands have gradually become silent and disappeared in the torrent of the market. However, in this general change, there are always some exceptions that can go against the current. The Sinotruk HOWO brand has become more and more brilliant after the baptism of time.
Quantity is justice. As the first single brand in the domestic truck industry to produce and sell more than 2 million vehicles, HOWO is already a well-deserved "sales king"; overseas, the HOWO brand has made a key contribution to Sinotruk's continuous export ranking for many years.
HOWO is not only a name, but also a legend.
HOWO has achieved fruitful results in its 20-year "long journey"
HOWO's birth coincides with the great era of China's heavy-duty trucks. From 2000 to 2002, the heavy-duty truck market experienced a three-year blowout, and the heavy-duty truck market experienced a period of rapid growth. It was in this context that Sinotruk quickly realized the need to seize this historical opportunity. To this end, the company set ambitious production and sales targets, including 35,000 vehicles in 2004, 70,000 vehicles in 2007, and 100,000 vehicles in 2010.
After a year of careful construction, on October 28, 2004, the first HOWO rolled off the new assembly line of Sinotruk Jinan Truck Company. Since then, my country's heavy-duty vehicle technology has begun to catch up with the international standards. From the cab with the largest internal width in China, to the engine combustion control and vehicle electrical circuit control technologies that are original in China and close to or reach international standards, to the world's largest single-stage reduction bridge and the highest level of high-intelligence main control system in China, HOWO became famous for many "firsts", "firsts" and "originals". In the first year, the production and sales exceeded 10,000, and in 2006, the production and sales exceeded 20,000, accounting for 1/3 of Sinotruk's total annual sales, and began to be exported overseas in batches.
HOWO-7, the most advanced heavy-duty truck in China at its birth. Subsequently, the launch of HOWO-A7 embodies the technical accumulation and innovation of Sinotruk for many years, becoming the pinnacle of domestic heavy-duty trucks and leading my country's heavy-duty truck industry to the world's advanced level. HOWO TH7 is not only equipped with the world's unique worry-free shifting gearbox, but also equipped with a natural gas engine with a high horsepower of 590 and a thermal efficiency of up to 54.16% together with HOWO MAX, jointly opening the era of high horsepower of gas vehicles. As the world's first L4-level pure electric unmanned container truck, HOWO T5G intelligent networked vehicle was trial-operated in Tianjin Port, setting an industry record, and together with China's first-generation intelligent truck HOWO T7H, which was launched 14 days later, it led the arrival of the intelligent era of domestic heavy-duty trucks.
Thousands of hammers and ingenuity have created customer trust
The shoulders of giants are not flat, and the reason why HOWO can stand firm is that it is good at introducing and absorbing, using it for its own benefit, and paving a flat road on the shoulders of giants. In 2003, Sinotruk introduced Volvo heavy-duty truck technology, and the resulting HOWO series mastered the essence of Volvo. The cab safety meets the most stringent requirements in the world. The domestically-created four-point suspension and the world's top air suspension shock absorption can achieve the best shock absorption effect under any road conditions.
In 2009, Sinotruk once again introduced foreign heavy-duty truck technology, this time from MAN in Germany. During the cooperation process, Sinotruk digested and absorbed a full set of advanced technologies such as engines, axles, and complete vehicles from MAN in Germany. The engines produced with MAN technology were 15 years ahead of the world's mainstream level at the time. At the same time, the cooperative products inherited the characteristics of HOWO's adaptation to the working conditions of China and developing countries and high cost performance, laying the foundation for the implementation of advanced technologies.
In addition, Sinotruk learned the development ideas, business processes, production processes, management methods, and the work style of striving for excellence and being conscientious and responsible from MAN in Germany. At that time, many joint ventures faced the problem of "discounts": they could manufacture excellent prototypes, but could not achieve stable standards during mass production. Sinotruk and MAN realize that the key to the problem lies in management. Both parties pay great attention to production consistency and provide batch technical training and support for each major component and assembly. In terms of quality, multiple "quality control checkpoints" are set up, and Sinotruk factories are gradually implementing the quality improvement management concept, striving to create high-quality cooperative products.
After three years of hard work, at the end of 2012, HOWO T7H and HOWO T5G, which are equipped with MAN technology engines, single-stage reduction bridges and related assemblies, were unveiled and launched in early 2013, becoming the flagship products of Sinotruk. In the cold winter of heavy trucks in 2015, the sales volume of HOWO T7H increased by 97.38% year-on-year, and the sales volume of HOWO T5G increased by as much as 130.23%.
From the top-notch technology to the overwhelming sales volume, HOWO not only shoulders the sales responsibility of Sinotruk, but also cures the "fear of heights" of Chinese heavy trucks to world giants with its international comprehensive capabilities, accelerates the high-end process of the industry, and opens a new chapter of "Made in China" replacing imports.
Really good products are appreciated by the whole world
Let China look at the world with equal eyes, and let the world see China. In 2004, Sinotruk began to expand overseas. By 2023, Sinotruk's heavy-duty truck exports have accounted for half of the industry. Perhaps some people will attribute the result of "half of it and half of others" in the export of heavy-duty trucks to first come first served. However, there is no shortcut to going overseas. If the first-mover advantage is not sticky, the final result can only be "getting up early and catching up late". In the process of deepening global development, HOWO has won the high trust of overseas users with its strength, innovation and deep understanding of needs.
In many overseas projects, when Chinese companies outsource earthwork projects, they find that contractors find it difficult to deliver on time. The main reason is that the equipment attendance rate is low and the service cannot keep up. HOWO is born out of European technology and is adaptively developed according to local needs. It has reliable quality and few after-sales problems. It has become the ballast stone of many leading projects and the synonym of "Chinese trucks".
On this basis, HOWO will make improvements according to local regulations and usage habits. In 2012, 2,000 HOWO A7s equipped with Euro 5 engines were exported to Brazil. This was the first time that my country exported a large number of heavy-duty trucks with emission levels above Euro 4. In June 2013, HOWO A7, which was independently innovated by Sinotruk and has complete intellectual property rights, broke the monopoly of international heavy-duty truck brands such as Scania and entered Hong Kong, which has always implemented the most stringent automobile fuel and exhaust emission standards. In 2017, HOWO was exported to Ireland in batches, which means that HOWO has passed the comprehensive inspection of Europe, the "hometown of trucks", on behalf of China's heavy-duty trucks. With high technical level, high reliability and high production consistency, it has refreshed the world's inherent impression of Chinese heavy-duty trucks and brought unlimited opportunities to latecomers.
Standing in 2024, looking back at 2004, we will find that HOWO's glorious 20 years are not accidental. Behind it, there is the mission of national heavy-duty trucks, an open mind of cooperation and win-win, and the all-out efforts of "all actions are based on initiative". This is the origin of its journey to the present and the confidence of its future.