Wanli Tires: A Model of Chinese Intelligent Manufacturing Going Global

At Wanli Tire’s intelligent factory in Panyu, Guangzhou, a tire can be produced in just 48 hours. Here, there’s no dust or noise of a traditional tire factory. AGVs silently shuttle along predetermined routes, robotic arms precisely grasp items, and fully automated vulcanizing machines operate smoothly—this is a microcosm of China’s tire industry moving towards high-end manufacturing, and also Wanli Tire’s core competitiveness built amidst fierce market competition. In 2023, China’s production and sales of new energy vehicles exceeded 9 million units, ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years. This profound transformation of the automotive industry has brought unprecedented challenges and opportunities to the tire industry. Wanli Tire keenly grasped this change and took the lead in launching a series of tires specifically for new energy vehicles within the industry. “Traditional tires struggle to meet the specific needs of electric vehicles,” pointed out the head of Wanli Research Institute. “Electric vehicles are heavier, have higher instantaneous torque, require quieter operation, and are extremely sensitive to rolling resistance—which directly affects driving range.” To address these pain points, Wanli’s engineering team implemented systematic innovations: using a high-density silicon compound to reduce rolling resistance, optimizing the tread groove ratio to improve wet grip, strengthening the tire carcass structure to support greater weight, and innovatively adding sound-absorbing cotton to the inside of the tire to reduce interior noise by 2-3 decibels. Stepping into the “lights-out workshop” of Wanli’s Hefei factory, one finds a fully automated process from mixing, calendering, molding to vulcanization. Compared to traditional tire factories, this smart factory reduces labor by 70% while increasing production efficiency by 30%, achieving unprecedented product consistency. “Each tire has an ‘ID card,'” explained the production director. “Through the MES system, we can trace the raw material batches, production parameters, and quality data of each tire, achieving full lifecycle management.” This intelligent transformation was not achieved overnight. As early as 2012, Wanli launched its digital strategy, gradually integrating the entire chain of R&D, production, sales, and service. Today, big data analytics not only optimizes production processes but also enables rapid adjustments to product strategies based on market feedback—shortening the development cycle of a new tire from the traditional 24 months to 12 months. On the Formula D drift circuit in the United States, race cars slide laterally at speeds exceeding 150 km/h, with tires bearing more than 10 times the load of ordinary driving. Since 2012, Wanli Tires has been the first Chinese brand to sponsor this event, and its racing tires have withstood the most rigorous tests. “Racing is the ultimate testing ground for tire technology,” said the head of racing technology. “The data we obtain from extreme environments directly feeds back into the development of civilian products.” This “race-driven research” approach permeates Wanli’s technological development path. Whether conducting endurance tests in Turpan at 50°C, verifying low-temperature performance in Heihe at -30°C, or conducting high-speed stability tests at professional test tracks, Wanli has established a testing system covering typical global climate conditions. In 2023 alone, they conducted over 2 million kilometers of real-vehicle testing. Internationalization has always been a key word in Wanli’s development. As early as the 1990s, Wanli tires were exported to more than 80 countries and regions. Today, facing the new international situation, Wanli has built a more flexible global supply chain system. “We have established production bases in Southeast Asia, while deepening cooperation with distribution networks in Europe and North America,” explained the head of international business. “We provide differentiated product portfolios to meet the needs of different markets.” This global vision is also reflected in technological cooperation. Wanli has not only established joint laboratories with many domestic universities, but also maintains close exchanges with professional technical institutions in Germany, Japan, and other countries to ensure that its technological roadmap is in sync with international standards. At Wanli’s R&D center, there is a “patent wall” densely packed with over 500 patent certificates. From rubber formulations to tread structures, from production processes to testing methods, these patents constitute Wanli’s technological moat. “We encourage engineers to be meticulous,” the R&D director shared a detail, “The team once conducted 137 formula adjustments and tests to improve noise reduction by 0.5 decibels.” This persistent pursuit of technology stems from Wanli’s unique talent development mechanism. The company implements a “dual-track” career development system, allowing technical personnel to gain equal promotion opportunities based on their professional achievements without transitioning to management positions. Simultaneously, Wanli collaborates with universities to offer specialized “Tire Engineering” classes, cultivating professional talent from the source. The tire industry is a key area of energy consumption and emissions, and Wanli has long incorporated green development into its core strategy. The Hefei factory utilizes photovoltaic power generation, generating up to 12 million kilowatt-hours annually. Waste heat generated during production is recycled for office heating, and wastewater is treated to meet drinking water standards. More notably, Wanli has achieved breakthroughs in the application of renewable materials. In 2023, they launched environmentally friendly tires with 35% bio-based rubber content, reducing their carbon footprint by 20% compared to traditional tires. “Sustainable development is not about cost, but about competitiveness,” emphasized the company’s head, adding, “Green products are becoming an important entry standard in the international market.” As a subsidiary of Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holding Group, Wanli Tires is deeply integrated into the automotive industry cluster of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It collaborates with automakers such as GAC and BYD to jointly develop original equipment tires; collaborates with battery companies to research the impact of tire characteristics on energy consumption; and explores with intelligent driving companies how tire data can empower vehicle control systems. This synergistic effect across the industrial chain is significant. In 2023, Wanli’s supply of original equipment tires for new energy vehicles in the Greater Bay Area increased by 45% year-on-year, while also providing lifetime tire health monitoring services for these vehicles through its 4S store system. In Wanli’s future plans, tires will be more than just rubber products. Through cooperation with Huawei Cloud, Wanli is developing “data tires”—using embedded sensors to monitor tire pressure, temperature, and wear in real time, uploading the data to the cloud. This data can not only remind users to replace tires but also provide reference for urban road maintenance and traffic management. “The era of every tire ‘speaking’ is coming,” the head of the digital department envisioned, “We will transform from a product manufacturer into a mobility data service provider.” Starting from a factory in Panyu, Wanli Tires has grown to compete with century-old brands in the global market, a vivid testament to the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing industry. It did not choose shortcuts but insisted on continuous investment in technological research and development, bold innovation in intelligent manufacturing, and early planning for green development. Currently, China’s automotive industry is transitioning from “going global” to “going upmarket,” requiring more component companies like Wanli to support the steady and long-term development of China’s automotive industry with superior technology and quality. On the new track of new energy vehicles, robust tires are carrying Chinese intelligent manufacturing to a wider world.