Toolots CEO Jason Fu

SHENYANG, Liaoning-September 24, 2017 – Toolots CEO Jason Fu and Executive Advisor Peter Wei met with local leaders in Shenyang last Friday to discuss mutually beneficial opportunities to grow the global manufacturing community. 

Toolots was warmly received by the local officials, who hoped to offer their support for Toolots doing business in their region as well as examine what efforts could be made to increase and strengthen cross-border commerce. 

Jason Fu (middle) and Dr. Peter Wei (left) of Toolots pictured with Vice Mayor Zhang Jinghui.

Once at the forefront of China's industrial revolution, Shenyang is still the most important city for manufacturing in Northeast China. But like other cities in China's rust belt, the local government is making every effort to modernize industry and revitalize the region. This includes supporting private sector industries as well as creating an international business environment in accordance with World Bank criteria. Viewing Toolots' business model as beneficial to industry as well as trade, Shenyang is interested in promoting Toolots' unique platform to SMEs seeking to expand their distribution network or sell in a new market. 

"Industrial equipment manufacturing plays a pivotal role in Shenyang's economy. Toolots is a global marketplace specializing in industrial equipment, so I am particularly interested [in the company] for that reason," said Vice Mayor Zhang Jinghui. "Shenyang's industrial suppliers have a substantial domestic customer base, but they haven't broken that much ground internationally. We will actively support getting an initial 'batch' of industrial supply vendors to conduct cross-border sales on your platform." 

Toolots CEO Jason Fu expressed his gratitude for the city's help in promoting the platform. He assured, "Our product specialist teams will work with several initial Shenyang suppliers to bring their products onboard that are suitable for the U.S. market. These initial suppliers will be 'model enterprises' to demonstrate that Toolots really is the fastest and most effective method for suppliers to expand their business overseas." 

Zhang also expressed his interest in bilateral trade. "Toolots can also help us attract American SMEs to do business here – indeed, what our manufacturing needs is bilateral international cooperation. What Toolots wants to do in terms of business development is precisely what Shenyang needs right now," said Zhang. "Shenyang is working hard to build an international business environment. We even invited third party organizations to assess, in order to better compel progress. Shenyang government will offer Toolots comprehensive support in expanding its business here, as soon as possible." 

Toolots' CEO Jason Fu agreed that the focus would not only be on getting Chinese vendors on the platform, but also on getting U.S. vendors to sell to China: "Toolots is a services platform for industrial suppliers, primarily SMEs in the U.S. and China. SMEs in China and the U.S. have similar needs and challenges. Although large U.S. manufacturers have had a lot of success expanding sales into China, U.S. SMEs haven't necessarily been able to. We have signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce to help U.S. SMEs enter the Chinese market. In doing so, we actually garnered both U.S. federal and state government support as well." 

Like many other cities in China, Shenyang has invested substantially in the creation of free enterprise zones and industrial parks in order to attract foreign businesses. For example, the China-German Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park in Shenyang was introduced in late 2015 to attract advanced production in automotive components and other industrial sectors. It currently hosts 30 German companies, including one of BMW's biggest manufacturing plants. Now cities in Liaoning, including Shenyang, are seeking to bring businesses into their U.S.-focused industrial parks. They hope that companies like Toolots will help bridge the way for U.S. companies interested in expanding to China. 

Shenyang municipal leaders and Toolots gather for a group photo after the meeting.

A Chinese version of this article, can be found here.

CHANGCHUN, Jilin-September 22, 2017- Toolots CEO Jason Fu and board member Dr. Peter Wei attended a business roundtable Wednesday in Jilin Province to discuss how Toolots can play a role in creating export opportunities for Jilin's industrial equipment manufacturers.  

Toolots attends a business roundtable with top industrial supply business leaders in Jilin.

Director of the European and American Affairs Office of Jilin Province Liu Zhijian speaks at the exchange.

Toolots CEO Jason Fu describes the company's business model at the exchange.

The exchange featured a panel of 18 manufacturing executives, including several top industrial supply companies in Jilin. Several heads of the Jilin Provincial Government were also in attendance, including Liu Zhijian, the Director of European and American Affairs Office of Jilin Province. Changchun City Foreign Affairs Office Deputy Director Ou Shuo, Changchun Bureau of Commerce International Market Development Director Suo Tie, Deputy Director Jiang Xutang, Siping City Economic and Trade Bureau deputy director Liu Dongyu were among the officials in attendance.  

The 18 top manufacturing executives represented companies producing a wide range of industrial products, including automobile manufacturing, transformers, industrial automation, valves, power generation equipment, and other equipment. 

Toolots was given the opportunity to speak about its business model and how its platform makes it possible for industrial equipment SMEs in Jilin to become export-ready, particularly as US manufacturing heats up and its demand for equipment grows. 

"Toolots coming to Jilin is a win-win situation," said the Changchun Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs during the roundtable discussion. "It is always our goal to facilitate and build bridges when it comes to global trade, so we will do everything we can to support Toolots in helping Changchun industry explore export opportunities."  

Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Changchun City Ou Shuo speaks at the exchange.

After Toolots spoke about their platform, the Siping Economic Cooperation Bureau said that he was optimistic about the company's impact on industrial exports, and looked forward to spreading the word.  

Deputy Director of Changchun Bureau of Industry and Information Technology Jian Xutong also expressed his full support of Toolots's business model, noting an interest in helping bring more companies onboard.  

"The U.S. is bringing back manufacturing to the States, but Toolots has turned this trend into opportunity. China's industrial industry has accumulated a degree of excess capacity, yet there is a prevailing lack of know-how in terms of how to export it to U.S. manufacturers. Fortunately, this is precisely Toolots's area of expertise."  

Deputy Director of Changchun Bureau of Industry and Information Technology speaks at the exchange.

Toolots CEO Jason Fu spoke about Toolots's plans for the future:

"Before October of next year, we will have onboarded 300 industrial equipment companies which will serve as business model validation, showing investors, local governments, and business leaders our platform's potential for incredible growth." 

Toolots CEO Jason Fu speaks at the exchange.

A Chinese translated version of this article can be found here.