On December 16, the News Center of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) announced the first batch of outstanding achievements under the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Brand Leadership Initiative.
SASAC selected 45 exemplary cases from various industries, levels, and brand types that serve as benchmarks for brand leadership among SOEs. CRRC received two prestigious awards, with CRRC Group being recognized as an Outstanding Group Brand, and Times Electric being recognized as an Outstanding Corporate Brand.
CRRC Group Recognized as an Outstanding Group Brand, Shaping Its Identity with Five-Dimensional Excellence
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping has visited CRRC Corporation Limited three times, praising its products and technological innovation. He emphasized that “high-speed trains are a bright business card of China,” “a successful example of independent innovation in China is high-speed rail,” and “high-speed rail technology sets an international benchmark.”
In response to General Secretary Xi’s call, “CRRC” has been committed to creating a brand for the nation and presenting a name card for the country. The brand has five key characteristics:
1.National Business Card: CRRC has a complete technological, standards, and product system, as well as a globally advanced manufacturing platform. Its “Fuxing” high-speed train has become a “national business card” displaying China’s development achievements to the world.
2.Cradle of Industry: CRRC originated from one of the two major achievements of the Late Qing Dynasty’s Self-Strengthening Movement, the Tangshan Xugezhuang Railway Workshop (now CRRC Tangshan Company). With a history spanning three centuries and 143 years, it has witnessed the tremendous changes in China’s railway transportation equipment over the past century and is known as the cradle of China’s modern industry.
3.Patriotism: CRRC is the birthplace of the early workers’ movement in China. Prominent revolutionary figures such as Mao Zedong, Li Dazhao, Wang Jinmei, and Deng Zhongxia visited the company’s railway factories to spread Marxism and ignite the revolutionary fire.
4.Industry Leader: CRRC is the only industrialized group in China’s rail transportation equipment sector and has ranked first in the global railway transportation equipment industry in terms of revenue for several consecutive years. By the end of 2023, CRRC’s products and services were available in 116 countries and regions across six continents.
5.Demonstrating Value: The “CRRC” brand has been at the top of the domestic mechanical equipment manufacturing industry’s brand value list for many years. It has won the title of China’s Top 10 Exemplary Brands, been recognized by the SASAC as an outstanding enterprise in brand building and ranked first in Fortune magazine’s list of the most admired Chinese companies.
In June 1881, China’s first steam locomotive, the “Longhao” (Dragon), was completed at the Xugezhuang Railway Workshop in Tangshan.
In line with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s directive on “outstanding brands” and the guidance of the “Brand Power Nation” strategy, CRRC has fully embraced the national strategy, embedding its brand deeply within the nation’s brand identity. The company’s goal is to accelerate the development of CRRC into a globally respected, world-class brand. By benchmarking against brand value models, CRRC is comprehensively building a “five-dimensional” brand identity, characterized by red legacy as its core, independent innovation as its hallmark, digital intelligence and green development as its foundation, the national brand as its highlight, and value creation as its essence. The company remains committed to continuously enhancing its status as a “national business card.”
From 1918 to 1919, Chairman Mao visited Changxindian twice to engage in revolutionary activities.
1.Inheriting the Red Heritage and Maintaining the Brand’s Original Character
CRRC is the birthplace of the early revolutionary activities of the Communist Party of China and the origin of China’s rail transportation equipment industry. For 143 years, CRRC has adhered to its original mission of “developing industry to strengthen the nation and contributing to the country through industry,” inheriting the red legacy, displaying its pioneering spirit, and creating critical national infrastructure. The corporate culture is the intrinsic driving force and foundation of the brand. CRRC deeply explores the historical, industrial, and revolutionary aspects of its brand’s culture, inheriting the spirit of national industrial development, loyalty, self-reliance, pioneering innovation, and courage to lead.
The company is committed to building and implementing a corporate culture system, with the mission of “connecting the world and benefiting humanity” and the core values of “rectifying hearts and ways, striving for excellence.” It nurtures the spirit of “contributing to the nation through industry, daring to innovate, and accelerating the Chinese Dream” through the Chinese high-speed rail workers’ spirit. With a profound cultural foundation, CRRC continues to enrich its brand essence, which integrates “the hard strength of technology and quality, the soft power of culture and management, and the warm strength of responsibility and value.” This forms a brand with roots in history and culture. After enduring over a century of changes, the “CRRC” brand remains true to its purpose, aligned with the Party’s vision, and continues to grow through relentless effort, firmly becoming one of the “six strengths” of the Party and the nation’s development, accelerating its journey toward becoming a world-class brand.
CRRC has built a technology innovation system based on “openness, collaboration, integration, global distribution and independently controllable.”
2.Fostering Independent Innovation and Shaping Brand Identity
CRRC has always prioritized technological innovation as a key brand characteristic, focusing on self-reliance and strengthening its role as a leader in innovation. The company has made significant progress in gathering innovative resources, improving its innovation system, and enhancing capabilities and efficiency, all while accelerating the commercialization of its technological advancements. CRRC aims to be the origin of innovative rail transport technology, ensuring full control over its brand development. The company has successfully developed a complete product range, exemplified by the “Fuxing” bullet train, and has overcome critical high-speed rail technologies. CRRC’s rail solutions, which are faster, safer, smarter, greener, more convenient, and more comfortable, are leading the way in modern industrialization.
In 2024, the CR450 train set new world speed records, reaching 453 km/h in single-unit operation and 891 km/h in relative meeting speed. This breakthrough signifies an industry-wide upgrade, with CRRC’s independent innovation driving the modernization of Chinese brands, continuously enhancing a reputation that is “globally admired, nationally proud, trusted, and respected”.
CRRC has established a new industrial development model with “dual tracks, dual clusters,” focusing on rail transportation and clean energy equipment to drive “New Quality Productive Forces”.
3.Emphasizing Digital Intelligence and Green Development, Highlighting Brand Essence
CRRC focuses on “digital intelligence” and “green development” to drive high-end, intelligent, and green industrial growth, establishing these as the new hallmarks of the CRRC brand. By embracing the new technological revolution and industrial transformation, CRRC leverages big data, computing power, algorithms, and models to foster deep integration of digital intelligence across innovation, business, and industries, leading the manufacturing sector into the digital era.
On the sustainability front, CRRC adheres to the national “dual carbon” strategy, promoting its 6G concept of “green investment, green innovation, green manufacturing, green products, green services, and green enterprises.” The company is committed to building green factories and zero-carbon parks, accelerating research and application of low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies, and developing carbon footprint management standards for products throughout their lifecycle. CRRC is also focused on creating a smart, clean energy equipment ecosystem, including wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen, while driving a comprehensive green transformation.
On April 30, 2024, diplomats from nearly 80 countries and representatives of international organizations in China visited CRRC to experience the development of China’s high-speed rail firsthand.
4.Establishing the National Brand and Elevating Brand Recognition
CRRC integrates its history with brand development, aiming to continuously shape the “national business card” and optimize brand strategy. Centered on the core concept of “One CRRC,” the company has developed a “One Strategy, Four Systems” approach to brand building, promoting unified branding and shared culture across all levels. Building on MI (Mission Identification) and VI (Visual Identity), CRRC has introduced a BI (Behavioral Identity) framework, with the release of the BI Construction 2020 Implementation Plan, BI High-rise Project Action Plan, and Correct Path Behavior Identification System. These initiatives enhance differentiated recognition of values, employees, behaviors, and standards, showcasing a cohesive, distinctive image of the company, its staff, and its brand.
CRRC promotes its shared culture through the “Six-in-One” cultural heritage project, ensuring the company’s anthem, motto, history, and other elements become cultural landmarks. Additionally, the “Balanced Internal and External Integration” communication project enables passengers to become brand ambassadors, shaping a brand that is approachable, trustworthy, and respected.
On September 7, 2023, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail officially opened, marking China’s first full-system, all-element, and entire industry chain export of high-speed rail.
5.Focusing on Value Creation and Enhancing Brand Strength
In October 2023, President Xi Jinping praised the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail as the “golden signboard” of China-Indonesia Belt and Road cooperation. CRRC combines value-driven strategies with management enhancement, advancing initiatives in demonstration, value creation, management improvement, and brand leadership. Currently, CRRC is exploring a brand value management model based on brand capitalization, systematically breaking down both tangible and intangible assets along key elements such as financial strength, technological innovation, product quality, after-sales service, employee development, and social responsibility. This approach aims to create a comprehensive brand asset directory, further refining core value growth points to make the “CRRC” national business card shine even brighter.
CRRC follows the “Five-Creation” value concept, focusing on creating value for society, customers, partners, shareholders, and employees. The company enhances its brand value by increasing added value, functional benefits, economic returns, and brand strength. In terms of brand “hard power”, CRRC remains the global industry leader, with internationally advanced products like the Fuxing bullet train, which covers all 31 provinces and boasts over 90% localization. The company is also advancing digital integration with the real economy, leading the sector in technological integration. For brand “soft power”, CRRC’s brand value reached 160.121 billion RMB in 2024, ranking first in China’s machinery sector and growing 18% year-on-year. Finally, CRRC enhances brand “warm power” by leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative to integrate its products, services, and culture into local markets, playing key roles as a cultural ambassador, industry driver, talent incubator, and good neighbor, leading to significant growth in its international business in 2023.
Times Electric Recognized as One Of The First Companies Awarded For Brand Innovation Prize, Driving Excellence To Create A Leading Brand For The New Era.
CRRC Times Electric, a core technology subsidiary of CRRC, was formerly known as CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Research Institute Co., Ltd. Established on September 26, 2005, the company went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2006 and successfully listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market in 2021, becoming the second “A+H” listed company under CRRC Group.
Focusing on the dual cores of “technology” and “market,” CRRC Times Electric operates across two main sectors: transportation and energy. The company has developed six industrial segments: rail transportation, new energy power generation, power electronic devices, new energy vehicles, industrial electrical equipment, and marine engineering. This comprehensive approach has allowed CRRC Times Electric to build a complete technology and industrial chain, spanning from chips (components) to systems (parts) to full equipment, serving as the core power behind China’s high-speed rail “golden business card.” It is a high-tech enterprise that independently masters core technologies and applies them at scale.
In 2014, President Xi Jinping introduced the important concept of the “three transitions” — from “Made in China” to “Created in China,” from “Chinese speed” to “Chinese quality,” and from “Chinese products” to “Chinese brands.” This vision outlined a clear goal for building a strong national brand. In line with CRRC’s “One Strategy, Four Systems” brand strategy, CRRC Times Electric enhances its external brand recognition, reputation, and loyalty, while internally embedding brand development into every aspect of design, R&D, manufacturing, marketing, service, and social responsibility, driving the goal of becoming a respected international company.
1.Implementing Brand Strategy System
CRRC Times Electric leverages its brand framework to unlock brand value, continuously refining and improving the structure based on a model of “unified core, mixed elements, clear hierarchy, and flexible coordination.” To support business growth, the company has developed a multi-brand matrix, including acquisition brands, joint venture brands, green service brands, and product brands, effectively mitigating brand risks. Centered on the brand positioning of being a “full-value creator with high-end equipment at its core,” CRRC Times Electric focuses on high-end sectors, strengthening its presence in digitalization, intelligence, and environmental sustainability, particularly in forward-looking technology products and solutions. The company builds system solutions and establishes a model framework for solutions covering all industrial sectors, shifting from promoting individual products to displaying integrated solutions, while utilizing digital and intelligent tools to create unique competitive advantages and enhance brand value.
2.Establishing a Brand Value System
Guided by core brand values, CRRC Times Electric systematically enhances its internal operations and management to build a sturdy foundation for brand development. The brand value system is broken down into four key areas: reliability, lean innovation, solutions, and green intelligence. A special brand leadership initiative has been established, integrating brand value enhancement into every aspect of production and operations. The company improves employee skills, standardizes behavior, and presents a reliable brand image. The BI High-rise Initiative has been launched, with all employees and suppliers adhering to a set of guidelines and behavioral standards aimed at protecting brand value, boosting comprehensive value across business profits, company image, and brand equity. The slogan “Connecting the World, Moving Forward Together” is reinforced to create a unified brand message. In alignment with the slogan, business unit slogans have been designed to reflect the “One Core, Four Strengths, Multiple Points” industrial structure, such as “Smart Mining, Leading the Future,” “CRRC Intelligence, Powering Green Energy,” and “Sincere Heart, Driving the Future.”
3.Enhancing the Brand Image System
CRRC Times Electric adopts a global strategy combining “cultural integration” with “expert authority” to gradually strengthen its image as an “innovation leader.” The company focuses on enhancing brand affinity and leadership, continually developing and solidifying its corporate brand, service brand, and product brand. It aims to shape an image of practicality, respect, innovation, and achievement, while maintaining a unified service image that is fast, effective, and customer-satisfied, and a product image that is green, innovative, reliable, and human-centered. CRRC Times Electric also strengthens its VI and BI systems, focusing on product and service image development to create distinctive brand features. The company further builds its “Benben” corporate IP image, effectively covering areas such as cultural products and peripherals.
4.Strengthening the Brand Management System
CRRC Times Electric has strengthened its brand management through a three-tier structure, clarifying responsibilities across departments and fostering unified planning and collaboration. The company manages brand assets by registering trademarks and company names both domestically and internationally, ensuring protection through coordination with legal, operational, and external agencies. Brand image management is enhanced through ongoing development of VI and BI systems, focusing on standardization and the “BI High-rise Plan.” Emphasis is placed on building a green service image and optimizing brand communication across platforms. A performance evaluation system is in place, with annual assessments tied to brand objectives and corporate evaluation. Crisis management is improved with clear protocols, and the brand management system is upgraded for efficient resource sharing and coordination.
5.Enhancing the Brand Communication System
CRRC Times Electric is accelerating its international brand communication, starting with high-end rail components for key markets, particularly Europe. The company leverages overseas production bases, like in Australia, as expansion hubs. A tailored internationalization approach enhances brand value and global presence. Communication channels are optimized, strengthening both traditional media (exhibitions, conferences) and new media (WeChat, Facebook, X). A "Five-Point" strategy is used for overseas exhibitions, while a media center improves communication speed. Regular engagement with international customers and stakeholders shows brand values, supported by storytelling, cultural narratives, and corporate responsibility content to deepen emotional connections and strengthen brand impact.
CRRC Times Electric focuses on high-quality development, continuously strengthening innovation-driven growth, advancing green development, and enhancing its core brand competitiveness. The company has led the creation of several international standards and has received numerous accolades, including the China Patent Gold Award and the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. It also boasts several “national-level” innovation and engineering research centers. In 2023, CRRC Times Electric was ranked 307th on the “2023 China Brand 500” list, topped the Hunan Province High-Tech Enterprise Comprehensive Innovation Capacity list, and won the “Top 30 Sci-Tech Innovation Companies in the STAR Market” award. Its cultural documentary Beyond the Mountain was recognized as one of the 100 Excellent Films by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. In 2024, the company was named one of the first outstanding corporate brands in the Central Enterprises Brand Leadership Program and won the “Future Manufacturing Industry Star” award.
