First Volvo Rents store opens in China

A Volvo dealer in XinJiang province has established the first Volvo Rents business in China.

Dealer Xinjiang XinWu (XJXW) in partnership with a local state-owned contractor has established an initial rental fleet of 17 units, which are all large machines, including 36 and 40 tonne excavators and 220 tonne wheeled loaders. The rental business will be targeting work in mining and infrastructure.

Lawrence Luo, president of Volvo in China, told IRN that the XJXW operation was a pilot for the Volvo Rents business in China, and that the dealer was hoping to reach a fleet size of around 80 to 100 machines.

Volvo Rents is just one of the 'soft products' that Volvo is offering in addition to sales of new equipment. Others include training, finance and remanufacturing.

Eberhard Wedekind, president of Volvo's Asian region, told IRN that there would be more Volvo Rents operations opening in China. He said Volvo was adopting a flexible approach to development, but was looking for "strong partners in attractive market areas. We have a master plan, and quite a lot of things will happen in China next year."

Elsewhere in Asia Volvo now has Volvo Rents operations in India, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. Nine of Volvo's 11 Indian dealers are operating Volvo Rents businesses.