234 Gold Dragon High-End Tourist Coaches "Drive" to Saudi Arabia

234 Gold Dragon High-End Tourist Coaches "Drive" to Saudi Arabia

      Recently, 234 high-end tourist coaches from Gold Dragon have been successively loaded and shipped from the Xiangyu Port Area of Dongdu Port in Xiamen to Jeddah, a major port in Saudi Arabia. This marks the largest single batch shipment to Saudi Arabia by a Chinese bus manufacturer so far this year, fully demonstrating the competitiveness and brand strength of Chinese high-end buses in the international market.

      In the first quarter of this year, Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co., Ltd. (referred to as Gold Dragon) vigorously pushed forward its "Three Strives" campaign in conjunction with a special initiative titled “Strive Hard and Compete Bravely,” accelerating its pace in overseas expansion and achieving a strong start.
 

      With deep alignment to Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030,” more and more Chinese buses are entering the Saudi market, which has become one of the largest export destinations for Chinese buses.

      Since entering the Saudi market in 2008, Gold Dragon has cultivated its presence there for 17 years, delivering over 5,000 buses, including school buses, city buses, and high-end coaches. Over the years, Gold Dragon has not only withstood the extreme environmental challenges of Saudi Arabia but has also earned the trust of local consumers.

      Unlike other manufacturers that operate through distributors, Gold Dragon adopts a direct sales model in Saudi Arabia. Every order is secured directly by the company’s sales team. This particular order faced stiff competition, but Gold Dragon’s sales representatives spent over five months conducting field visits and market research, gaining deep insights into customer needs. Their rich technical expertise, top-notch product quality, and comprehensive after-sales service ultimately helped them win this major contract.

      To meet the arid, high-temperature, and dusty conditions of Saudi Arabia, Gold Dragon provided customized services to ensure the safety, comfort, and reliability of its vehicles, enhancing the travel experience for locals and tourists alike.

      The vehicles were specially optimized for dust resistance and thermal insulation, as well as for powerful air conditioning. “In Saudi Arabia, summer temperatures can reach over 50°C, with ground temperatures up to 80°C. Customers require the interior temperature to drop to a comfortable 25–30°C within 30 minutes of starting the vehicle,” said Huang Ji. “Not only must the system cool quickly, but the AC also needs to run continuously for 8 hours — a typical requirement.” To meet this, Gold Dragon’s technical team traveled to Saudi Arabia to gather real-world data and collaborated with air conditioning manufacturers to enhance components such as the evaporator, condenser, and compressor. Additionally, the entire vehicle was upgraded in terms of sound and heat insulation to adapt to the harsh climate and road conditions.

      Remarkably, it took only 50 days — including the Chinese New Year holiday — from securing the order, confirming specifications, to completing production. Customization and fast delivery are common requirements for overseas orders, and meeting these demands is made possible by Gold Dragon’s intelligent digital manufacturing system for personalized bus production.

      Saudi Arabia is not the only success story this year. Gold Dragon has seen strong momentum in overseas markets across the board. For example, 155 Gold Dragon buses were shipped to Kuwait to support its public transport upgrade, while 100 Gold Dragon Coaster school buses were delivered to Oman — another milestone in the company's international expansion. Gold Dragon continues to support the green transformation of public transport in various regions, contributing new chapters to the global presence of Chinese manufacturing.

      As a pioneer among Chinese bus manufacturers in global markets, Gold Dragon has established 13 KD (Knock-Down) assembly plants overseas in just about five years, creating a new model for international production collaboration. Among them, the Egypt KD plant has the highest production capacity, having built over 6,000 light-duty buses. The Thailand plant, with the strictest delivery timelines, assembled around 3,000 new energy buses even during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Ethiopia KD plant, the most challenging to build, spans 7 hectares and represents the first large-scale new energy KD project in Africa by a Chinese bus company.

      Gold Dragon’s KD factories have enhanced the global competitiveness of Chinese bus products and standards, especially in electric drivetrain systems, while also generating a large number of local jobs. These factories have helped build local supply chains, creating a model where “one factory boosts an entire town, and one bus drives an entire industry chain.”

      Amid a complex and dynamic market environment, Gold Dragon continues to build on its strength in products, technology, strategy, and service. Its buses have been exported to more than 120 countries and regions, with cumulative overseas sales exceeding 80,000 units — becoming a key force in Chinese manufacturing’s global journey. Going forward, Gold Dragon will seize development opportunities in BRICS and other emerging markets, with a more open mindset and solid steps, writing new chapters in global expansion and contributing “Gold Dragon power” to the green and intelligent development of public transportation worldwide.