Auto Industry Moving To China, But What About Trucks?

The All Roads Lead to China Blog just did very interesting and in depth post on the auto industry moving to China, entitled, "There Will Be No More 3rd Tier Suppliers in America!"  In summary, it says the following:

• Automobiles are becoming commodities nd the movement of U.S/ E.U. auto suppliers to China makes it easier for Chinese brands in the future.
• Foreign auto makers have supplied Chinese suppliers with the equipment and components necessary to make finished parts along with the knowledge necessary to build those component parts themselves.
• Foreign OEMs are now buying quality parts from Chinese suppliers. 

The post says "the Pandora's box" as been opened yet "many" auto parts companies have "wrapped themselves in the warm blanket of denial." 

I have friends and clients in the auto industry and I think All Roads is wrong to say many are in denial.  Everyone I know is well aware of the issue.  However, I do agree many are not acting fast enough to deal with the problem.  But I also know that we as outsiders must realize and account for how incredibly difficult it is for any domestic company to shift even a part of its business overseas. These things take time.

But what about trucks? 

My firm also represents companies in the truck manufacturing industry and I am always on the lookout for information as to what is going on in China trucking.  One of our best (and few) Chinese clients is Jereh, a dynamic and successful Yantai company that, among other things is Paccar Trucks China representative.  Because of my firm's truck industry representations, I am not comfortable writing about the status of foreign truck manufacturing in China.  However, I bring it up to complain about the dearth of information on truck manufacturing FDI in China.  I know Navistar recently signed a deal to start manufacturing engines in China and I know Cummins has been making truck engines there for some time.  The most recent report I could find on China's truck market is from 2004 and it is hugely optimistic, which makes sense.  Asia Logistics Wrap recently did an excellent post on China trucking (not really truck manufacturing), appropriately entitled, "Trucking in China."  I would love to hear what our readers have to say about the state of truck manufacturing in China.  Beyond this there seems to be virtually nothing out there.

So I am calling on any readers who have information here to please chip in and share your knowledge by commenting.