Tait Radio to open new Beijing operation

New Zealand's biggest privately-owned electronics exporter, Tait Radio Communications, is opening a new Beijing operation - its third new overseas facility in the past 18 months - to expand its sales office there.

As many as 15 staff will be employed at Beijing's central Swissotel complex by the end of this year, and the new site will expand the existing sales office to include research, marketing, finance and services support.

It will be a "wholly foreign-owned enterprise" - corporate structures known locally as Woofies.

"Our strong focus on emerging technology, vertical markets, cultural awareness and proximity to our customers are key elements to our successful growth in China," said Tait's manager in China, Larry Tsang.

China's economy was developing rapidly and the new cities being planned and built would require emergency services, utilities and public transport infrastructure, creating a demand for the kind of "critical communication solutions" that the company sold.

"It's important we move closer to our clients and have local staff who understand their environment while we further improve access and levels of service and support provided," said Tsang.

China was developing a wireless communication standard called Police Digital Trunking (PDT) to help change the Ministry of Public Security's analogue trunking system to digital technology.

Tait's clients include China International Search and Rescue (CISAR), the Gong An and Shanghai Fire Service.

New research staff from China recently worked at Tait's Christchurch headquarters to gain further knowledge and expertise about its technology.

Tait last year opened a European site in Vienna, and a Melbourne site in February, in addition to its operations in the United States, Britain and Singapore.

The company began selling into China more than 21 years ago through agents, and 15 years ago it set up a Hong Kong office and soon after a Beijing service centre to work closely with its distributors.

- NZPA