22 Feb Laboratoires Phodé : 10 years in China
Phodé has been present in China for almost 10 years, why a subsidiary and not a distributor as in other countries?
Due to a combination of circumstances, within the framework of our cooperation with the Ecole des Mines, Albi, we had a Chinese intern (M Liang Tian) in Phodé for several months. With him, we began to think about setting up in China.
Our thinking led us to a subsidiary model. This seemed to us to be the most opportune given that we had our possible branch manager in the person of our Chinese student.
Was the course difficult?
Yes and no! Yes, because we had to define our market approach strategy in terms of both the legal structure and the approval of our products. Yes, especially because Chinese philosophy is totally different. We must learn to trust what is not in our culture.
No, because we had at hand a person of Chinese nationality who accompanied us at best and understood our production and marketing processes.
Did you benefit from other accompaniments?
We had strong support from the Tarn Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She accompanied us in different ways. Firstly, by seeking subsidies from the Regional Council and the County Council to increase our production unit. Then, through the network of international CCI because we were put in contact with Business France (formerly UbiFrance), Coface (now BPI Assurance Export) and also with Total in the form of international porting, which enabled us to have an office in Beijing and so start with Mr Liang Tian our establishment. Today, China is our third largest contributor to sales.
write by CCI Tarn
