Sales Coordinator at Galland Catenary Suhzou (GCS), Liya Huang is a valuable liaison between China and Galland. France is also a country she knows well, since she obtained her Master's degree in Bordeaux. In a Chinese market that is growing at a high speed, Liya's dual culture and training are obvious assets for Galland.
What is your professional background?
Before working for GCS, I worked at Zhongyin IMP&EXP.CO. LTD, in China, as Overseas Business Manager. I have been working for Galland since May 2017: I took my first steps there with an internship following the master's degree I obtained at the Kedge Business School in Bordeaux in 2016. Then, I became Sales Coordinator at our Suzhou site.
Who is on your team and what are your missions?
Jacky Zhong is the project manager at GCS. He is responsible for all sales in China, a country where Galland has been present since the 90s, and where a subsidiary was created in November 2015.
As a sales coordinator, I am the link between Galland France and GCS China. I take care of the good coordination between French headquarters and Chinese customers regarding orders, production schedule, product design, delivery schedule and after-sales service.
My mission also consists of analyzing the Chinese market in order to adjust the sales strategy of Galland products. I play a supporting role in the preparation of calls for tenders and administrative work. I also take care of the choice of external service providers and potential suppliers for Galland SAS.
Which departments of Galland France do you work most closely with?
I collaborate with the innovation and technology department, which I consult frequently because I have to give clear answers to our customers who ask technical questions about our products. At the same time, I work with the production department to organize our orders and the shipping schedule.
What Galland products do you sell?
GCS mainly sells JG3181 series section insulator. We also developed the new model JG3612 for China high-speed train market.
Is China an important market for Galland?
In recent years, China's urban rail transit industry has developed strongly. By the end of 2022, the country had a total of 5,875 stations in operation, an increase of 9.96 % year-on-year. The total length of operating routes reached 10,287.45 kilometers, an annual increase of 11.7%. The metro network accounts for 77.84% of this total, the urban rapid transit 11.89%, and the tram 5.49%. We are closely supporting this growth: GCS sales have continued to grow year after year, accounting for a significant portion of the company's turnover: China is regularly in the top 3 of GALLAND's business areas. And the outlook is excellent:
In 2023, in China, 55 cities will have a rail transport system for the impressive number of 2.66 billion passengers. This means that the Chinese market counts!
In your opinion, what is the main strength of Galland?
It is undoubtedly the cumulative experience of more than 75 years in the catenary sector. For the Chinese, French know-how is synonymous with high quality and long experience in a field. But the expression also refers to the pioneering and innovative spirit. For example, in the industrial sector, we all know that the French TGV was the fastest in the world. The France has frequently broken rail speed records.
How do you see the future of Galland in China?
China's urbanization is accelerating and promoting the development of railway transportation. Galland's expertise contributes to this. In the future, we will apply French high-speed train technology to the domestic market. We will provide the most advanced products to promote the development of China's railway industry, not forgetting another challenge: using Galland technology to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution.
To know her better
She loves
Hiking, traveling, painting.
His family
I have been married for over 5 years to a Londoner, we have a 9 month old little boy who never ceases to amaze us!
His city
I am originally from Suzhou and currently live in Hangzhou with my husband. There is a very famous saying in China: "Upstairs is the sky; downstairs are Suzhou and Hangzhou". These two cities are famous throughout China. In Suzhou, people come to admire the sunset over the West Lake, the ancient streets lined with canals and the famous walled gardens.
His mantra
It's いちごいちえ [pronounced ichi-go-ichi-e]. This is an expression from the Japanese tea ceremony meaning to cherish the present moment because it is irreplaceable.
