Technicians test products at Xeca Turbo (Rugao) Co in Rugao, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Three companies in Rugao, Nantong recently won provincial support to promote international cooperation in technological research and development, according to local media reports on Aug 28.

Xeca Turbo (Rugao) Co has been working with a research team from the United States over the past three years to develop a new type of air compressor, which has been put into mass production this year. 

As part of the partnership, the US team offered technological support in design, while the Rugao company took on the testing and production. The latter also holds the independent intellectual rights of core technology and products.

"We could do all work by ourselves. But it would take much longer. The market would not wait," said Ding Tiehua, executive vice-president of the company.

To date, the company has expanded its domestic market with deals signed with automobile producers such as SAIC Motor, Great Wall Motors and Changan Automobile. It has also partnered with US fuel cell maker Plug Power.

Different from Xeca Turbo (Rugao) Co, Jiangsu Rugao High Voltage Electric Apparatus Co independently completed the R&D of its circuit breakers, which will be exported to Russia.

According to Hang Fei, overseas market manager of the company, the domestic market of the power transmission and transformation sector is highly saturated. As such, it is time for companies to expand overseas to achieve further growth.

"We insist on the franchise business model in the overseas market, because local partners know better about their countries and market demands than we do, and it can help create jobs for the locals," said Hang.

The company has already established cooperative ties with a number of countries and regions, including Pakistan, Russia and Kazakhstan.