STLE expands presence in China market
Dr. Robert M. Gresham & Edward P. Salek, CAE | TLT Lubrication Fundamentals May 2015
Bridging the lubricants gap between East and West.
STLE formed the China Advisory Council to enhance the society’s ability to build cultural and business bridges with the China marketplace. STLE representatives include Past President Rob Heverly (front row, far left), Treasurer Mike Anderson (back row, third from left), director of professional development Bob Gresham (back row, fourth from left) and Executive Director Ed Salek (back row, sixth from left).
DURING THE PAST 18 MONTHS, STLE has taken a series of steps to expand its presence in the rapidly growing China lubricants market. The decision to become more active in China was based on a thorough discovery process that included internal discussions, working groups with interested parties and bilateral conversations with relevant stakeholders, primarily STLE corporate member companies and with representatives of the China state-owned enterprises.
The China expansion is part of a global growth plan for STLE and was approved by the board of directors in January 2014. It emphasizes the use of current capabilities for mission-driven activities in areas outside of STLE’s traditional geographic scope of North America. The challenge is to adjust and adapt to local audiences and needs.
As part of the effort to establish a higher level of activity in China, STLE secured the services of Kellen Co., an international association management firm. Kellen has offices in the U.S., Belgium and China and provides consultancy and association management services to many organizations throughout the world. Kellen Management and Consulting Beijing Co., Ltd., is serving as STLE’s local office in China and is assisting STLE in all of our local endeavors there.
STLE also has organized a China Advisory Council (CAC) to enhance the society’s ability to build cultural bridges with the China marketplace, identify potential partnerships and propose relevant activities and initiatives. The CAC held an inaugural meeting in September 2014 and now conducts regularly scheduled conference calls. The CAC consists of 15 members and is co-chaired by Dr. Tianmin Shao, a professor and deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Tribology (SKLT) at Tsinghua University, Beijing, and David Zhou, chairman and co-founder of Runningland Metrology & Testing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
A third key relationship is with the Chinese Tribology Institution (CTI), a sister organization that STLE has worked with for nearly 15 years. CTI is the leading organization for tribology in China and will host the 2017 World Tribology Congress in Beijing. STLE and CTI signed a cooperation agreement in April 2014 that provides for:
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Joint educational outreach (end-users, lubricant suppliers and test labs)
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Future conference development
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Certificate and certification programs in China
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An annual STLE–CTI leadership meeting.
By working in collaboration with organizations like CTI, STLE expects to add value for individuals and corporations doing business in China. STLE represents professionals who cross industry and product lines and technical and scientific disciplines. This places STLE in a unique position to be a leader in convening and organizing multidisciplinary discussions of new advances in tribology and their application to the challenges facing China’s industrial community.
STLE’s short-term goals for China in 2015-2016 include introducing targeted technical education programs with an emphasis on bridging the gap between formal education and practical applications. Distribution will be through live events with local partners, digital delivery and print.
A communications and branding campaign includes a Chinese language membership brochure (released in late 2014) and a simple Chinese Website, expected to be active in spring 2015 at
www.stle.org.cn. Branding efforts will be coordinated with a number of local partners, including the OLM Group.
STLE created a brochure to help lubricant professionals in China better understand the society’s benefits and services.
Based on guidance from the CAC, STLE has identified several established technical conferences and exhibitions in China that offer a prime venue for market exposure through exhibits and professional education to an audience that is already in place. Watch for specifics on STLE’s participation in several events now being organized for fall 2015.
While STLE’s current membership base in China is small (fewer than 100 individual and corporate members), the potential audience for future recruiting includes more than 3,000 prospective members who have been identified in the region.
STLE’s outreach to China comes at a time of exponential growth for associations in China, according to the MCI Group, an international meeting, events and association management company with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. MCI reports that the number of associations in China grew from 170 in 1991 to more than 1,400 currently.
Success metrics for the China project will come from three critical areas:
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STLE brand is recognized in China for professional education and development.
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STLE community in China (and perhaps Asia) grows in size and value to participants.
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STLE contributes to enhanced end-user understanding of lubrication technology with resulting benefits.
Keep reading TLT for updates on how this important STLE initiative is progressing.
Bob Gresham is STLE’s director of professional development. You can reach him at rgresham@stle.org.
Ed Salek, CAE, is STLE’s executive director. You can reach him at esalek@stle.org.