Video: Lu Guanqiu, founder of China’s private Wanxiang Group, has become the first Chinese to be inducted into the American Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF). (Xinhua)
“He left a big impact in the industry, but also a very strong legacy of building a business that survives future generations,” said Sarah Cook, chair of the Automotive Hall of Fame.
DETROIT, United States, July 22 (Xinhua) — Lu Guanqiu, founder of China’s private Wanxiang Group, has become the first Chinese to be inducted into the American Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF).
A marble plaque bearing the signatures of Lu and five other inductees was installed in the US AHF Hall of Honor in Detroit, Michigan, on Wednesday evening.
There were 65 candidates competing for AHF induction this year. Lu is part of a diverse collection of mobility pioneers from around the world who are recognized as AHF 2022 inductees.
The other five inductees in 2022 are Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of Lamborghini luxury sports cars; Taiichi Ohno, creator of the Toyota Production System (TPS); Lyn James, pioneer of female motoring; and Alma and Victor Green, authors and editors of The Green Book, a travel guide for black people traveling in America.
Lu Weiding (L), CEO of Wanxiang Group, and Ni Pin, chairman of Wanxiang America Corporation, are seen in the Hall of Honor at the US Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit, the United States, July 20, 2022. (Xinhua/ Zhang Mocheng)
“We are very happy to induct our first person from China,” AHF President Sarah Cook told Xinhua. “Lu truly exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit. He was a man who started from very humble beginnings and built his business to $25 billion a year in business.”
“He left a big impact in the industry, but also a very strong legacy of building a business that survives the next generations,” Cook said.
From a local bicycle repair shop in the 1960s, Lu grew his business into a global auto parts supplier. Wanxiang was the first Chinese company to sell auto parts to US original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and now has operations in 22 US states. Lu spearheaded the promotion of clean energy in China in the 1990s.
Under his leadership, Wanxiang acquired and relaunched A123 Systems and Fisker Automotive Holdings, Inc. in the United States. The latter transformed into Karma Automotive.
Lu died in October 2017.
File photo taken on March 14, 2001 shows Chinese entrepreneur Lu Guanqiu speaking at the fourth session of the Ninth National People’s Congress in Beijing, China. (Xinhua/Fan Rujun)
The US AHF is a non-profit organization that honors and celebrates leaders and innovators in the automotive/mobility industry through awards and programs that challenge young and old to higher levels of achievement. personal.
Each year, the AHF evaluates approximately 60-70 candidates from around the world and inducts 4-6 candidates. The qualification has a great demonstration impact in the automotive and mobility industry.
Founded in 1939, the AHF has so far honored 755 laureates from around the world who have impacted and influenced the automotive and mobility industry, including Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, inventor and engineer German Karl Benz, founder of Honda Motor Co. Soichiro Honda, founder of Toyota Motor Corporation Kiichiro Toyoda, founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team and later of the Ferrari car brand Enzo Ferrari, and founder of Porsche AG Ferdinand Porsche . ■