Stronger together in China: Knorr-Bremse expands supplier partnerships
Knorr-Bremse strengthens strategic supplier relationships in China
Knorr-Bremse expands local sourcing in China and aims to further increase its annual procurement volume
More than 160 representatives of leading Chinese suppliers attend the Knorr-Bremse Supplier Summit China in Suzhou
Knorr-Bremse is further expanding its collaboration with local suppliers in China. Around 160 senior representatives of suppliers and supplier partners, as well as representatives from business and politics, gathered at the “Knorr-Bremse Supplier Summit China” in Suzhou. At the event, Knorr-Bremse announced plans to broaden its supplier base and further increase its procurement volume in China. Combined with China’s rapid pace of innovation, greater localization is intended to help accelerate the introduction of new technologies.
Marc Llistosella, CEO of Knorr-Bremse AG, emphasizes the strategic importance of strong partnerships: “China is a global pace-setter for speed, scale and technological excellence. Localization is a decisive success factor for cost efficiency, rapid ramp-ups and resilience. That is why we are systematically expanding our strategic supplier relationships. Local development requires strong local suppliers with a high level of engineering expertise. This interplay lays the foundation for our continued growth – in China and worldwide.”
Knorr-Bremse Supplier Summit as an important platform for strategic dialog
This year’s Knorr-Bremse Supplier Summit was held under the motto “Leading Technologies for Future Growth.” China is the global leader in new energy vehicle (NEV) trucks. The country is home to the world’s largest commercial vehicle market and has the world’s largest high-speed rail and metro networks. Knorr-Bremse procurement executives discussed the opportunities offered by even closer collaboration with representatives of local suppliers. The discussions focused on Knorr-Bremse’s further localization plans, the resulting growth opportunities for Chinese suppliers, and opportunities for expanded collaboration for both the Chinese market and global projects.
China as an important center for innovation, production and supply
With a total of 15 locations, revenue of more than 1 billion euros in 2025 and an annual procurement volume of around half a billion euros, China is an important center for innovation, production and supply for Knorr-Bremse. Most recently, Knorr-Bremse and CARS, China Railway’s innovation and technology center, signed the China Freight Cooperation Program in Beijing. The program focuses on digital solutions, driver assistance systems and advanced braking technologies to further improve the safety, efficiency and performance of rail freight transportation in China.