Delcam's Clive Martell in Prime Minister’s delegation to China

Clive Martell, Chief Executive of Birmingham-based Delcam, the world’s leading specialist supplier of machining software, was chosen to be an industry delegate on the first official visit to China by UK Prime Minister David Cameron. The delegation comprised other senior UK Government representatives, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, plus industry delegates from leading UK manufacturing companies including Rolls Royce, GKN, Alstom Power and Doosan Power.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said, “Delcam’s expanding presence in China is testament to the strong economic relationship between China and the UK, and to the benefits that trade and overseas investment can bring to UK companies. I am pleased to see more and more companies capitalising on the opportunities offered by China’s development. I hope that this week’s visit will serve to open doors for more UK firms, and I wish Delcam every success in its future business.”

During the visit, Mr. Martell will be a member of the panel for the session on Advanced Manufacturing at the Business Summit organised by the China-Britain Business Council and UKTI on 10th November. He will also conclude a long-term agreement covering software support and maintenance with First Auto Works, Delcam largest customer in China.

“I am extremely honoured to be chosen to take part in this important visit,” commented Mr. Martell. “It will provide a huge boost to Delcam’s profile in China, especially among larger companies and government officials.”

The visit comes at a time when Delcam is setting new records for its business in China. Sales of software and supporting services have increased by more than 50% in the first three quarters of this year compared to the first nine months of 2009. China is now the biggest market for new sales of the company’s manufacturing software.

This rapid growth has helped the company to reach more than 1,500 customers in the country. To mark this achievement, a presentation was made to the 1,500th customer, Zhejiang (Taizhou) Jianli Mould Co., Ltd., by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood CMG, during the UK Advanced Engineering China Showcase held in Shanghai in June. This mouldmaking company is typical of the hundreds of smaller toolmakers and subcontractors that are adopting Delcam software to increase their productivity, improve their quality and reduce their lead times.

However, Delcam’s customers also include many of the country’s larger organisations. As well as First Auto Works, other major customers include Xi’an Aircraft Industry Group, Changchun Railway Vehicles, Dongfang Electrical Machinery, Gree Electrical Appliances and Pou Chen, one of the world’s major producers of footwear.

These customers are supported by 50 sales and support offices throughout the country. The Delcam China subsidiary is based in a head office in Beijing, with regional offices in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi’an, Wenzhou, Qingdao and Quanzhou. In addition, the Delcam Hong Kong and Delcam Taiwan joint ventures operate two offices each in mainland China, and there are more than 30 reseller offices in the country.