At the beginning of 2026, Hunan Province kicked off the "Enterprise Service Year" with a high-profile "first meeting of the New Year", deploying four major actions and focusing on the eight types of pain points and bottlenecks that enterprises most frequently and urgently reflect. The goal is to ensure that all enterprises in Hunan can "get things done, hire people, make money and be fully respected". As of August 24th, a total of 13,972 demands and suggestions from enterprises had been collected throughout the province, and 11,723 of them had been handled. Among them, Loudi has deeply integrated assistance to enterprises in difficulty with industrial cultivation, highlighting the brand of "being able to find people, understand the language and get things done". The provincial supervision team praised it as "meticulous in implementation and solid in execution". As the core carrier area of the "Materials Valley", how does Loudi Economic Development Zone carry out the "Big Hand Holding Small Hand" integrated development action and encourage leading enterprises in the chain to open up supporting resources?

The official website of the People's Government of Hunan Province, in collaboration with Hunan People's Broadcasting Station, invited Xiao Xiongjie, the Party Secretary of Loudi Economic Development Zone, and Billy Ma, the CEO of GONVVAMA，to be guests on the "Xiaoxiang Living Room" program titled "2026 'Enterprise' Voyage!" Special topic interview.

An enterprise witnesses the "Four Periods in Ten Years" of a Foreign-funded enterprise

Question: GONVVAMA, a leading foreign-funded enterprise in automotive lightweight components jointly established by VAMA and Gonvarri, signed the fourth investment memorandum on August 7th this year, investing 105 million yuan to build new processing capacity for high-intensity laser cutting plates and integrated door rings. This project will help the new steel materials industrial chain in Loudi accelerate its leap to the high end of the value chain, and also inject strong impetus into Loudi's efforts to build a leading domestic and globally renowned highland for the deep processing of automotive steel. Since the first phase was put into production in 2016, followed by the second phase in 2018, the third phase in 2024, and the fourth phase this year, the company has been continuously increasing its investment and expanding production over the past ten years. May I ask Mr. Ma, where does this confidence come from?

Billy Ma, CEO of GONVVAMA : From Phase I to Phase IV, over a period of ten years, we have completed the entire process of a foreign-funded enterprise evolving from trial to in-depth development. The core source of this confidence lies in the "keeping one's word" service provided by Loudi Economic Development Zone.

The project that impressed me the most was the third phase. At that time, we planned to build the world's first new type of laser ablation integrated production line for door ring welding, targeting leading domestic new energy vehicle manufacturers. The project required a large investment and a lot of imported core equipment. Frankly speaking, in the early stage, the enterprise did have alternative plans for site selection in a different location, and there were also different opinions within the company.

However, Loudi City and the Economic Development Zone promptly established a special service team for "one enterprise, one policy", implementing a system where leaders are assigned to specific points and departments are responsible for specific tasks. They also set up a weekly dispatch and monthly consultation mechanism. The dedicated team took the initiative to get involved in advance. They provided on-site policy briefings during our feasibility study stage, sorted out the full-process approval list, and offered agency services for matters such as planning, land use, environmental impact assessment, and construction permits.

What particularly moved me was a detail: in light of the characteristics of our imported high-end production equipment, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission proactively connected with the provincial competent authorities, provided full guidance on material preparation and online application, and successfully issued the "Confirmation Letter for Domestic and Foreign-Funded Projects Encouraged by the State". Based on this, the enterprise applied for tariff reduction or exemption on imported equipment, effectively lowering the cost of equipment purchase. At the same time, coordinate with Changsha Customs and the park to optimize the customs clearance, transportation and factory site coordination of large and precision equipment.

Under the efficient government service guarantee, the project was completed from the start of construction to production in just 9 months, setting a "material valley speed" record for advanced manufacturing project construction in Loudi. To be honest, this speed exceeded the expectations of our foreign shareholders.

Question: Besides project construction, what specific services does the enterprise enjoy in its daily operation?

Billy Ma, CEO of GONVVAMA : I'd like to give an example. The traditional process requires welding over twenty components together through spot welding. However, our laser ablation and assembly welding door ring integrated production line, by using the ablation and assembly welding process, can integrate different steel grades such as 2000MPa hot-formed steel onto an integrated door ring, replacing the traditional multi-part spot welding design. In less than one minute, a car door ring can come off the production line. Behind this technological breakthrough lies the government's full support for our cultivation of scientific and technological innovation.

Frankly speaking, we are not very familiar with the policy provisions and material preparation requirements when it comes to the application for high-tech enterprises and specialized, refined, distinctive and innovative enterprises. Relying on the "To Help Enterprise is To Help the Loudi City" enterprise cultivation initiative, the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology has included us in the key science and technology innovation enterprise gradient cultivation database, assigned dedicated personnel to provide full-process tracking and guidance, organized multiple on-site visits, carefully sorted out core conditions such as R&D investment, intellectual property rights, and main business income, guided us to collect R&D ledgers, patent materials, and technical achievement supporting documents, and repeatedly refined the application materials. Ultimately, we were successively recognized as a high-tech enterprise and successfully awarded the title of a national "Little Giant" enterprise specializing in niche markets.

There is one more detail that I would like to particularly mention. As a Sino-foreign joint venture, we have the need for the dispatch of foreign technical experts. The public security and science and technology departments have simplified the application process for work permits and residence permits for foreigners, and implemented pre-review of materials and deferred guidance. For foreign technicians dispatched by the foreign headquarters, the process of practicing in a different location has been simplified. The original work permits can be directly used in Loudi without the need for repeated renewal, significantly reducing the processing period. This has been of great help to us in frequently dispatching overseas technical experts to Loudi to carry out production line commissioning work.

Question: The case of GONVVAMA has made everyone feel the speed and warmth of Loudi's proactive service to enterprises. May I ask Secretary Xiao, if entrepreneurs operating in Loudi Economic Development Zone or those who want to invest and start businesses in Loudi Economic Development Zone encounter difficulties in starting a business or operating it, through what channels can they seek help from the government departments and get integrated handling and solutions?

Xiao Xiongjie, the Party Secretary of Loudi Economic Development Zone: In simple terms, it can be summed up in three sentences: someone is in charge, it can be found, and it can be closed in a loop.

First, someone is in charge. We have formed a professional team for agency services. For enterprises that have signed investment promotion agreements, we will assign dedicated personnel to make targeted contacts and provide full-chain exclusive services. Other market entities need not worry either. There are dedicated offline Windows for agency services, wechat channels for agency services online, and government service consultation hotlines where you can consult and handle affairs. When enterprises encounter difficulties in handling business, staff will proactively follow up. They will accompany or handle matters on their behalf if necessary. Online, they can also consult, guide and handle matters on wechat.

Second, it can be found. The park has compiled the "Project Approval Process for Enterprises Entering the Park" and is promoting it to enterprises, so that everyone knows what to do and who to turn to for it. Meanwhile, we have introduced action plans for project construction and enterprise relief, capacity expansion and investment promotion. Through targeted assistance and on-site visits and investigations, we have proactively collected difficulties faced by enterprises.

Third, it can be closed in a loop. When enterprises encounter difficulties, they can submit them online through the "Loudi Business Code" or the 12345 Business Service Hotline. Offline, relying on enterprise visits, entrepreneur symposiums, and chain leader consultations, face-to-face communication and on-site handling are carried out. All enterprise-related demands are uniformly collected and assigned for handling, completed within a limited time, and followed up and evaluated to ensure "one-stop acceptance, integrated processing, and one-stop resolution", preventing enterprises from running around to multiple places. In addition, we also made a "patch" by setting up an enterprise joint group. Our members of the leadership team and department heads are in the group, and representatives from over 400 enterprises are also there. They "tease" and listen online, and problems are solved immediately.

Question: Secretary Xiao, from your perspective, what does the "Four issues in Ten Years" of GONVVAMA mean?

Xiao Xiongjie, the Party Secretary of Loudi Economic Development Zone: The "Four phases in Ten years" of GONVVAMA is not an isolated case in Loudi. In the past five years, Loudi Economic Development Zone has guided 33 enterprises to carry out the second and third phases of capacity expansion, with a total investment of 18.8 billion yuan. A number of key expansion projects, including Sany New Energy, Valeo Automotive Air Conditioning, and Wenchang Technology Automotive Components, have been launched one after another.

Behind this lies our unwavering commitment to "taking serving enterprises as our due and inevitable responsibility". We have established a closed-loop service system of "dedicated team promotion + element guarantee", and set up a "Materials Valley" industrial fund with a total scale of 2.78 billion yuan, to make enterprises willing to come, stay and develop well. The "votes of confidence" repeatedly cast by foreign-funded enterprises with real money are the highest recognition of our business environment.

The "15-minute supporting circle" of industrial ecosystem and "Three Steels, Three Electrics and One Titanium"

Question: The products of GONVVAMA have evolved from being sold by the ton to being delivered by piece for customized components. Does this step also benefit from the synergy effect of the industrial chain's supporting facilities?

Billy Ma, CEO of GONVVAMA: Exactly. The most direct impression is the "15-minute industrial support circle". Our raw materials come from VAMA, which is just a hundred meters away from us. High-end automotive sheet raw materials can be supplied nearby, significantly reducing logistics costs and transportation cycles, and effectively ensuring the stability of the supply chain.

The government also regularly organizes supply and demand matching meetings for the industrial chain, builds a connection platform for vehicle manufacturers, material enterprises and component enterprises, and assists us in connecting with new energy vehicle customers within the province. At the same time, implement the "Several Provisions of Loudi City on Promoting the Development of Advanced Materials Industry", precisely push preferential policies for enterprises such as technological transformation subsidies, digital transformation, and special funds for industrial development, and have the policy supermarket proactively match the policies that enterprises meet the conditions for, guiding project application, material submission, and fund disbursement. They also actively recommended that we participate in international exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo and the New Materials Expo.

Empowered by policies, we have been continuously promoting the digital transformation of production lines, enhancing the level of production automation, expanding the production capacity of thermoformed lightweight components, and deeply integrating into the new energy vehicle industry chain in Hunan Province.

Question: Secretary Xiao, from the perspective of industrial ecology, how do you view the position of GONVVAMA in the "Materials Valley"?

Xiao Xiongjie, the Party Secretary of Loudi Economic Development Zone: GONVVAMA is a key link in the automotive sheet industrial chain of our "Materials Valley". In the first half of this year, Loudi's "Materials Valley" gathered over 500 large-scale enterprises, with a silicon steel production capacity of 3 million tons, accounting for 16% of the national total. It has become the largest silicon steel production base in central China, the only one in Hunan Province, and the fourth largest in the country.

In Loudi Economic Development Zone, a solid production capacity matrix has been formed with 2 million tons of automotive steel sheets, 1 million tons of high-strength steel and 3 million tons of high-end silicon steel. The expansion of the fourth phase of GONVVAMA is the latest move to fill the key link of "integrated door rings" in this automotive steel plate industrial chain.

Next, we will focus on the industrial layout of "three Steels, three electrics and One titanium", continuously promote the extension, supplementation and strengthening of the industrial chain, accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system, and strive to build an influential "Materials Valley" in the central region.

Xiao Xiongjie, the Party Secretary of Loudi Economic Development Zone: We have turned the impossible into the possible by using "brute force methods". We will take the "Enterprise Service Year" initiative as the overarching handle, provide services that truly touch the hearts of enterprises, make "Materials Valley" a hot spot for investment and business development, and contribute Loudi's strength to the high-quality development of Hunan.

Billy Ma, CEO of GONVVAMA: Four issues in ten years, we chose Loudi and settled down in Loudi. In the future, we will continue to focus on the automotive lightweighting field, grow together with "Materials Valley", and repay this fertile land with better products and technologies.