Mainland China Exports of Brake Parts Expected to Reach US$1.4 Billion in 2006 - Up 30 Percent from 2005

HONG KONG, Aug. 15, 2006 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mainland China is expected to ship US$1.4 billion worth of brake parts in 2006 -- up 30 percent from last year, according to Global Sources' China Sourcing Report: Brake Parts ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/ ) .

The report indicates buyers sourcing brake parts from mainland China can expect higher prices, wider product ranges and faster design/delivery times in the coming months. These findings are based on in-depth manufacturer interviews, factory visits and surveys.

"About 80 percent of mainland China's brake part exports are intended for the aftermarket," said Global Sources' general manager of Content Development Michael Kleist. "Less than 20 percent go into assembly lines due to the challenge of meeting stringent international certification requirements. In addition, most top carmakers already have long-standing relationships with established brake part manufacturers."

Mainland China Brake Part Makers Increasing Prices, Expanding Product Lines

Kleist said: "Due to the higher cost of metal and oil-based raw materials, all surveyed makers said they expect to raise prices in the next 12 months. However, most plan to limit price increases to prevent losing market share in this fiercely competitive industry." Among surveyed manufacturers:

   -- 5 percent expect to increase prices by over 15 percent;
   -- 3 percent plan increases of between 10 and 15 percent;
   -- 62 percent expect increases of 5 to 10 percent; and
   -- 30 percent plan to raise prices by up to 5 percent.

Surveyed makers said they are working to improve capabilities in order to attract more overseas orders. Among respondents:

   -- 41 percent said they are developing wider product ranges;
   -- 22 percent -- shortening delivery times;
   -- 16 percent -- shortening design/development time;
   -- 14 percent -- improving staff training; and
   -- 7 percent -- obtaining certifications/approvals.

The 126-page China Sourcing Report: Brake Parts includes detailed profiles of 81 mainland China manufacturers. It features a product gallery with 192 top-selling brake part exports. It also includes production and pricing forecasts as well as in-depth reports on major and emerging brake part supply centers in mainland China.

Global Sources' China Sourcing Reports ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/ ) provide proprietary market information from extensive factory visits and in-person interviews with manufacturers. They help buyers make better-informed purchasing decisions.

China Sourcing Reports ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/ ) are part of Global Sources' sourcing and product information services, which include Global Sources trade magazines, Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com/ ) , Global Sources Direct ( http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com/ ) and the China Sourcing Fairs ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/ ). For more information, visit http://www.corporate.globalsources.com/ .

China Sourcing Report: Brake Parts is available at http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/brakeparts .

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media.

The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 530,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex, overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in 230 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 1.8 million products and more than 130,000 suppliers annually through 11 online marketplaces, ten monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and 14 trade shows, including six China Sourcing Fairs. Suppliers receive more than 7 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com/ ) alone.

Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 35 years. In mainland China it has over 1,400 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for Chinese-language media.

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