At Sany Group’s factory on the outskirts of Shanghai, there is little sign of a trade war involving the world’s two biggest economies.
With 500 workers and 200 robots welding and screwing steel parts into place, the facility can produce up to 50 excavators every day, each weighing 20 tonnes. Outside, 200 yellow diggers wait to be transported to a port 30 minutes’ drive away, their hydraulic arms covered in blue fabric sleeves to prevent rusting in the salty sea air.
One of China’s biggest manufacturers of heavy equipment, Sany exports more than 40 per cent of the factory’s production — contributing to its exports worth $1.2bn last year, mainly to emerging markets in Asia and Latin America. The group shows no signs of slowing down, with Sany aiming to increase international sales by 30 per cent this year.