Through consistent review of public voting and expert panel, ¡°Zonda¡± branded bus has been recently awarded the honorary title as one of ¡°Top Ten Brands in China¡¯s Bus Industry¡±. It marks that a series of reform initiatives by Zonda Bus, such as improving indigenous innovation system, enhancing core competitiveness and implementing unified branding strategy, have gained widespread approval from inside and outside the industry and Zonda Bus has withstood the market test and challenges.

Since Zonda Bus was organized and established in 2001, it has, by finding a new path, expanding industrial scale as well as driving and enhancing market competitiveness and influence of buses and coaches, leaped from a not well-known local enterprise to a rising star in China¡¯s bus industry within five years, thus creating a miracle of China¡¯s self-owned bus brand. Nowadays, ¡°Zonda¡± has become a well-known brand in China and ranked 98th in Chinas 500 Most Valuable Brands this June released by World Brand Lab (WBL) by virtues of substantial strength.

At as early as the beginning of ¡°Zonda¡± establishment, top management planned its development into three phases scientifically such as market entry, building up core competence and prudent operation, in terms of operation of bus industry.

Currently, Zonda Bus, which is at the phase of building up core competence, is upgrading its market competitiveness by means of self-owned brand building, product R&D and after-sales service.

I. Indigenous Innovation Promoting ¡°Zonda¡± to Go Global

Suggestions of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the 11th Five-Year Planning of National Economy and Social Development passed by the Fifth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee points out ¡°go on implementing the strategy of revitalizing the nation by science and education and the strategy of strengthening China through human capital, regard enhancing indigenous innovation capability as basic strategic point and central link in adjusting industrial structure and transforming growth mode, make every effort to enhance the ability of original innovation, integrated innovation and re-innovation after absorbing advanced technologies from abroad.¡±

As a privately owned bus manufacturer, Zonda Bus¡¯s fate has been closely linked with rising and falling of China¡¯s bus industry since its inception. Faced with changing times and stiff competition, ¡°Zonda¡± brand creates and disseminates hope and dream of China¡¯s self-owned bus brand with steady and enduring development.

In 2006, Zonda Bus has strived to increase its share in overseas market instead of concealing its capacities and made great achievements. Recalling Zonda Bus¡¯s development history of the past five years, ¡°Zonda¡± brand has not only achieved success with joy but also demonstrated loyalty and distinctive charm of self-owned brand.

Reviewing each and every step of ¡°Zonda¡± brand, its indigenous development system has always underpinned the breakthrough made by Zonda Bus. Domestic automobile manufacturers have successively conducted joint venture and cooperation with global famous automobile brands in an overall manner, against this backdrop, Zonda Bus is still persistently taking the road of indigenous development.

As Mr. Jim Xu, president of Zonda Group, said, ¡°Although Zonda Bus does not choose to take the road of joint venture, it does not mean self-seclusion and excluding international cooperation, but instead, Zonda is taking an open-ended indigenous development road to meet the needs of its development and make further progress. Based on such strategic thinking, Zonda makes full use of international cooperation platform and integrates international resources to gradually establish independent R&D system, internationalized production and operation system and the system of independent intellectual property rights.

Through accumulation and exploration of years, Zonda¡¯s independent R&D system has enjoyed powerful talents and financial resources. Zonda Bus has been in the forefront in the industry in terms of the development of core technology and translation of scientific and technologic achievements into productivity. Excellent R&D achievements such as Zonda¡¯s A9 series deluxe bus and Zonda¡¯s A7 series bus show that experience and advantages in independent R&D field have been translated into core competitiveness of Zonda Bus.

II. Quality and R&D Underpinning ¡°Zonda¡± to Stand Firm in the Industry

¡°Our products embody our charm and personality¡±. In terms of products, Zonda sticks to ¡°Customer Foremost¡± and spares no efforts to translate the most excellent scientific and technological achievements into the products which are mostly suitable for the needs of customers. Based on profound understanding of Chinese national conditions and market demand, Zonda Bus has launched many bus products with powerful market competitiveness. Zonda has always been pursuing the maximum operation value of customers in terms of improvement in Zonda¡¯s bus and release of Zonda¡¯s A series bus. It not only promotes Zonda to realize innovation and development of production mode and product structure but also manufacture many classical and typical buses in the industry. Zonda Bus focuses much attention on quality and has achieved a qualitative leap in terms of appearance, interior decoration and product performance of every Zonda¡¯s bus.

In terms of updating and upgrading products, Zonda sticks to its own policy of top-quality bus strategy instead of following the fashion blindly. With respect to product development of Zonda, technological development and market proximity are above all focused on; secondly, a series of standardized R&D platforms are built; thirdly, differentiated products with selling point in technology are redeveloped. Currently, a complete series of products developed by Zonda have obtained three certifications by national authoritative inspection department for 8 series and 180 models of buses, including various coaches, touring buses, city buses and sleeping buses with different configuration needs and various lengths from 6m to 13.7m.

Zonda Bus is continuously seeking technical cooperation with external forces while building its own R&D team. Technical cooperation conducted by Zonda Bus is mainly embodied in three aspects: above all, cooperation with professional scientific research institutes; secondly, cooperation with supporting enterprises which lead the industry; thirdly, cooperation with open-ended social R&D system. Based on the above, R&D capability of Zonda Bus has been significantly improved.

III. Interpreting ¡°Zonda¡± Success Philosophy by Virtues of Service and Specialty

Bus industry is currently undergoing the transfer from ¡°selling buses¡± to ¡°selling service¡± and the competition in bus sales is no longer competition in bus itself but instead, competition in overall marketing. Against this backdrop which is featured with customers, competition and change, it has become a common understanding in the industry to provide more add-on services for customers.

As an upcoming star in China¡¯s bus manufacturing industry, Zonda Bus has set up more than 300 after-sales service outlets nationwide within five years. Meanwhile, 800 free-toll service hotline in the headquarters of Zonda Bus is available at 24 hours for timely dealing with the information of troubles from customers¡¯ buses and providing considerate services for customers. In addition, Zonda sends professional technical staff to outlets to hear the feedbacks from customers, answer inquiries of customers, handling various issues on the spot, conduct in-depth understanding and analysis according to the needs of customers as well as improve products and after-sales service on an ongoing basis according to customer expectation. A series of initiatives which value services and customers have won praises of customers and also enhanced the ability of market response and competitive edge of Zonda Bus in an overall manner.

Zonda is deeply aware that it will not occupy an advantageous position in market competition without providing top-quality buses for customers and sound supporting services. At present, Zonda has established well-improved supply system of parts and components across China. In case of any trouble and fault, users can directly call after-sales service center or report to the headquarters to maintain their own legitimate rights and interests. In addition, Zonda has set up technology database of all models of cars, edited and published spare parts manual to lay sound technical foundation for timely and accurately providing spare parts and ensure no further trouble for customers.

Winning the title of ¡°Top Ten Brands in China¡¯s Bus Industry¡± is not only an honor but also an incentive for Zonda Bus to upgrade itself to a global brand. By virtues of acquiring R&D in core technologies and continuous product upgrading, Zonda Bus will make steady progress in the road of brand globalization.