With a planned annual capacity of 400,000 vehicles and 800,000 engines, BMW's Tiexi plant is designed to be its largest worldwide in eight years.

Large mining equipment made by Northern Heavy Industries Group is among the most advanced produced in China.

Shenyang has a solid industrial foundation in a range of sectors and a balanced portfolio of capabilities that allows businesses in many sectors to be profitable.

The city's enterprises have created about 100 "firsts" in China's industrial history - the first jet plane, the first machine tool, the first transformer and the first crane, to just name a few.

It is renowned for its advanced equipment manufacturing industry, with operations by leading companies such as Shenyang Machine Tool, General Electric, Siemens, Bekaert, Seiko and Yaskawa.

In the auto industry, it is home to four manufacturers - BMW Brilliance Automotive, GM Shenyang Norsom Automotive and Brilliance Jinbei Automotive. Local authorities project that annual output will reach 1.5 million vehicles by 2015.

More than 10 automobile component enterprises from Europe also have operations in Shenyang, including ZF Lemforder axles, F.S. Fehrer seats, Orford transmissions and Gestamp car frames.

In the construction and building materials industries, the city is home to operations by Japan's Kajima, Sekisui, Toshiba and Inax as well as the local Shenyang Yuanda Group.

At present, Shenyang businesses are in discussions with European enterprises Saint-Gobain and Sika to develop energy-saving and environmentally friendly building materials.

The strength of Shenyang's chemical and pharmaceutical industries is represented by leading companies Bridgestone, Michelin, Bluestar, BASF, Astellas and AXM.

The city is also an information industry hub in Northeast China with operations of Neusoft Group, Tsinghua Tongfang, Siasun Robot and Fujikura that have established advantages in software development, service outsourcing, digital audio and visual products and creative arts.

Its traditional pillar industry of aviation has been further enhanced by cooperation with international players such as Bombardier and Cessna in R&D and production of civilian aircraft.

Its food sector includes leading enterprises Hero Group, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Shenyang Huishan Dairy Group, Rundi Grain and Oil and Yurun Group.

In emerging industries such as new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, Shenyang's government plans to build a manufacturing zone for alternative-energy automobiles and wind power equipment.

In 2012, Shenyang launched construction on the Sino-French Environmental Protection Industry Park, which sets an example for environmental protection cooperation between Shenyang and Europe.

liuce@chinadaily.com.cn

( China Daily European Weekly 08/02/2013 page19)