Cenit AG: Successful with bw-i
The Stuttgart-based software house managed to enter the market in China with the help of the bw-i office in Nanjing.
July 31, 2018 – When Stuttgart-based software and consulting company Cenit designed a strategy for building its business in China, the management initially thought of the subsidiary in Japan as the starting point for opening up the market. The company has a subsidiary there with an annual turnover of around 152 million euros since 2011.
But the plan did not work. Like the European and American markets, the first steps should now also be organized for China from its headquarters in Germany. Jens Fetzer, Sales Manager for Digital Factory Solutions Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Cenit, set about rethinking the market for the Middle Kingdom. “China is very interesting because of the topics we serve in the Digital Factory Solutions business. The Chinese market is the largest robotics market in the world and has the right maturity for us, “said Fetzer.
Initially, he attended various trade fairs in China for two years in search of potential partners and customers. The first projects were acquired. “With a good dose of gut feeling,” said the engineer, the decision was made to set up a local presence on site. Through a private contact, he met bw-i Nanjing. The bw-i branch has been supporting small and medium-sized companies in entering the Chinese market for 15 years through Company Pool.
“We received a very fair offer, and then everything went in quick succession.” Cenit entered the Company Pool in 2017 with two Chinese employees, and since then they have been working from Nanjing under the guidance of Fetzer on the market. One colleague is responsible for pre-sales, the other for sales. “The pre-selection of the employees was excellent, and bw-i Nanjing helped us a lot with cultural interpreting,” said the sales manager of the 800-strong software company. Thanks to the administrative relief and the infrastructure provided, Cenit has gained time to concentrate on market development. In addition, Fetzer appreciates the convenient location of Nanjing with its fast train connection to China’s largest economic center Shanghai.
Fetzer is satisfied with the developments so far in China, and the next step, the founding of the company, is already planned for 2019. He recommends bw-i’s offer to all medium-sized companies looking for a simple and cost-effective market entry in China.