Scania Industrial Operations Asia 2nd Supplier Conference Successfully Held
March 13-14, 2025，Rugao
March 13-14, 2025, Scania Industrial Operations Asia successfully held its 2nd Supplier Conference themed “Together for the Future”, bringing together around 1,000 representatives from over 500 suppliers shaping a blueprint for quality development. Wang MingHao, Mayjor of Rugao Municipal People’s Government City participated in the conference and introduced the business environment of Rugao, welcoming more investments in Rugao.
Root in China, for Joint Development
During the conference, Ruthger de Vries, President of Scania Industrial Operations Asia, shared that the group’s most advanced and sustainable industrial hub has been completed and is currently in the equipment commissioning, and validation phase. The first prototype vehicle has successfully rolled off the assembly line and is undergoing nationwide road testing. Production start is expected in Q4 2025, marking the dawn of a new era of localized manufacturing with world-class quality and efficiency.
TRATON Group owns four strong global brands under one roof: Scania, MAN, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus, offering a diverse portfolio of trucks, buses, and commercial vehicles. Scania Industrial Operations Asia plays a crucial role in expanding Scania’s footprint in the region and represents a key milestone in TRATON Group’s long-term commitment to China. “Scania’s third Industrial hub, as Scania’s most advanced and sustainable manufacturing facility worldwide, will break Scania’s production capacity bottleneck and inject new momentum into our global production system,” emphasized Ruthger de Vries. “This benchmark factory will bring benefits not only to China but also to the global market.”
Leonardo Del Pra, Vice President of Procurement at Scania Industrial Operations Asia, extended a warm welcome to all supplier representatives and expressed deep appreciation for their support. He emphasised that supply chain maturity is crucial with a localisation target of 85%. Localization goes beyond sourcing raw materials and components—it also requires a deep understanding of the Chinese market and leveraging local innovation capabilities, especially in key areas such as autonomous, connectivity, and electrification.
“Our industrial hub in Rugao is built on the TRATON Modular System (TMS) principle, which means that in the future, we can introduce new energy vehicles and other models from within the TRATON Group, based on market demand,” Leonardo stated. “Today’s supplier conference is not just a Scania event—it marks the beginning of your journey being a part of the TRATON Group’s global supply chain.”
With the establishment of Scania’s third industrial hub in Rugao and the development of a localised supply chain, we will significantly reduce delivery lead times, carbon emissions, and contribute to TRATON Group’s global sustainability goals.
Strategic Plan into the Future
After that, management teams from different departments shared detailed insights into the progress of the production facility, smart manufacturing, product development, and technological innovation. They outlined Scania’s future business objectives and expectations for suppliers in areas such as technical support, quality control, on-time delivery, and sustainable development.
In-depth Communication, Workshop Visit
In the afternoon, supplier representatives were divided into two groups for in-depth discussions. One group visited the industrial hub and visited the latest construction progress, including digitalised workshops, automated inspection lines, and flexible production lines, experiencing Scania’s most modern and sustainable manufacturing facility. The other group attended breakout sessions, where department heads introduced their respective functions, workflows, and future collaboration plans.
Deepened Cooperation for Joint Development
The successful hosting of this year’s supplier conference strengthened communication and trust between Scania and its supplier partners while clarifying future collaboration goals. Suppliers gained a comprehensive understanding of Scania’s strategic direction and production plans, confirming their commitment to supporting Scania’s development in the coming years.
This conference not only paved the way for the upcoming production launch but also marked the evolution of Scania’s supply chain ecosystem, highlighting TRATON Group’s firm commitment to the Chinese market and contributing to the upgrading of China’s commercial vehicle industry.
