STORY: Slovenian automaker revives through green transition under Chinese ownership
SHOOTING TIME: June 28, 2024
DATELINE: June 30, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:58
LOCATION: MARIBOR, Slovenia
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the production of vehicles at the TAM
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MA FUXIONG, CEO of TAM Europe
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GORAZD BUBIC, Head of production, PS, and technology at TAM-Europe

STORYLINE:

TAM, established in 1947, is a leading bus and commercial vehicle producer in Slovenia.

From bankruptcy following years of decline, the company, based in Slovenia's second-largest city Maribor, is once again thriving in the European market after its acquisition by a Chinese firm.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MA FUXIONG, CEO of TAM Europe
"TAM's main business focuses on high-quality and customized commercial vehicle products, including trucks, buses, airport ferry vehicles, and other vehicles for special use. Currently, we are also making efforts to produce new energy vehicles, such as pure electric cars, hydrogen fuel vehicles, etc."

Now, TAM is an important part of the economy of Maribor, employing more than 8,000 people at its peak, equivalent to one-tenth of the city's total population.

Local employees are regularly dispatched to Chinese factories to learn new technologies, while Chinese technicians frequently visit the Slovenian factories to provide on-site guidance and support.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GORAZD BUBIC, Head of production, PS, and technology at TAM-Europe
"All these years, my professional skills improved very lot. Also, if you're regarding the language, also regarding the culture, also regarding the collaboration with our Chinese colleagues, especially also with some technical perspective. And I'm really pleased because of this, and I'm happy that I can work with the Chinese colleagues here in our company."

TAM successfully cooperates with more than 100 international airports, and operates a high-quality after-sales service of more than 40 maintenance centers established across the EU.

One of the company's latest clients is Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport. The 24 buses ordered by the French company from TAM will be put into service during the Olympic Games that begin on July 26.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Maribor, Slovenia.
(XHTV)