The first Sanpower Global Supplier Conference took place in Nanjing, China on April 10, 2018. As part of Sanpower’s commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative spurring a more efficient and innovative global supply chain system, Sanpower’s first Global Supplier Conference, organized by Sanpower New Commerce, creates a path for 100 Chinese brands to venture into Europe via the UK and access the rest of the global market. Further, the conference will spur local brands and products to expand into countries along the Belt and Road.

Sun Xiaoqing, CPPCC member, Chairman and CEO of Jiangsu Hongkun Supply Chain Company, Wu Gang, Sanpower New Commerce Industry Cluster Chairman, and Kong Jun, New Commerce Industry Group CEO attended the event, alongside some 100 supplier representatives from approximately 80 reputable brands in the Yangze River Delta region and the Pearl River delta region. Kaiyuan Group, a champion of foreign trade in Jiangsu province, century-old Hong Kong trader Li & Fung Limited, and government owned Jiangsu High Hope Group were present among other well-known companies. The event attracted thousands of products from over ten categories including apparels, accessories, home products, etc.

Global Supply Chain Center returns to China as a new platform to promote made-in-China

In response to the Belt and Road Initiative from the Chinese government, Sanpower Group brought home well-established resources through a series of overseas acquisitions. Notably, Nanjing Cenbest acquired century-old department store House of Fraser (HoF) in 2014; subsequently HoF opened in Nanjing and Xuzhou in 2016 and 2017. China has been a key driver of world economy in recent years, and main contributor of an open economy. In line with the Belt and Road Initiative, Sanpower New Commerce wishes to pave the way for premium domestic and international resources to exchange and support Chinese brands to expand globally.

Over a 40-year reform period, Chinese manufacturing has transformed from extensive processing and production into a new era marked by independent designs, proprietary brands and innovation. Industry champions are leading growth in their respective sectors by churning out high-quality Chinese products with distinctive designs. In the past, Chinese companies lacked their own brands and foreign trade channels. They were primary OEMs for foreign brands and the prospect of overseas business was beyond reach. The first Global Supplier Conference, hosted by Sanpower New Commerce, sets up a global supply chain management platform linking Chinese brands with the rest of the world. Chinese manufactures can expect wider access, via House of Fraser, to the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

Sanpower Supply Chain and Branding Management Center will undertake and manage HOF trade orders, increase the breadth and depth of HOF's house products, shorten product development cycle and delivery, and accelerate product iteration, hence providing high-quality products with lower costs and boosting sales growth. Sanpower proudly extends the invitation to prospective suppliers to share Sanpower’s overseas resources and green path under the Belt and Road Initiative for further growth abroad. Furthermore, the Supply Chain and Branding Management Centre, located in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, can provide local services for the growth of foreign brands in China.

Kong jun, Sanpower New Commerce Industry Group CEO remarked: “There are a lot of good products in China. Sanpower Group’s subsidiaries own hundreds of stores and our member companies are affiliated with tremendous partner resources across the UK and US. HoF has 62 stores across the UK, Ireland, Dubai and China. The number of HoF VIP members has exceeded 2 million. It is a great platform for premium Chinese products to go to the UK and further afield across Europe.

Simon Pickering, HoF UK Global Product Sourcing Director, observed that traditional image associated with Made in China is changing. More and more high-quality Chinese products are becoming popular among British and European consumers. Once these products enter HoF’s sales channel, they will be able to access Europe and the greater global market, given quality and credit endorsement from HoF. Furthermore, consolidating global supply network through made-in-china products and Chinese brands will help HoF find better products and lower prices, hence boosting sales and competitiveness.

Sun Xiaoqing, Chairman of Jiangsu Hongkun Supply Chain Co. Ltd., one of the participants and advocates of the Global Supplier Conference, noted that at present, everyone is eager to seize the historic opportunity of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Many Chinese manufacturers actively seek overseas development, and many Chinese-made products have strong competitiveness in foreign markets. In the past, due to the limitation of talents, channels, and costs, it was difficult for a company to develop export business alone. Nevertheless today, there are international supply chain platforms like Sanpower's New Commerce Global Supply Chain Center, which brings together high-quality suppliers with similar needs to form a group. In the future, as these enterprises share their information and data, cross border and cross business, interconnection will create greater value.

Sanpower New Commerce global supplier conference, in its commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative, is expected to foster closer cooperation among suppliers, in institutional arrangements for trade, investment and industrial innovation which will allow suppliers to demonstrate their best potential and value. Additionally, the conference seeks to build a multi-dimensional cooperative marketing channel and an innovative consumer service alliance that generates shared value and results through a modern, and rule-based service platform which delights consumer needs and facilitates the outflow of high-quality domestic products as well as the inflow of advanced ideas and models from overseas to Sanpower New Commerce in a consultative, cooperative and shared supply chain system.