South African Energy Giant Actom Visits CPEPE, Charting a New Blueprint for International Cooperation in High-Voltage Power Transmission and Distribution

Amidst the dual waves of globalization and energy transition, international energy cooperation has become a key driver for technological advancement and industrial upgrading. On March 3, 2025, Changzhou Pacific Electric Power Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd. (CPEPE), a leading enterprise in China's power transmission and distribution equipment manufacturing sector, warmly welcomed a high-level delegation from South Africa's Actom (PTY) Ltd. This visit not only culminated previous rounds of communication but also marked the entry of strategic cooperation between the two industry giants in the fields of high and low-voltage equipment manufacturing and energy infrastructure construction into a phase of substantive negotiation. The arrival of the delegation from Actom, a preeminent electrical engineering and equipment manufacturing company in South Africa and Southern Africa, is of extraordinary significance. It signifies that CPEPE's exceptional technical prowess, reliable product quality, and profound industry heritage are gaining high recognition in the international high-end market. Gathering in Changzhou, both parties aimed to translate shared visions into concrete and feasible cooperative projects through in-depth, face-to-face discussions. The goal is to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes in the South African and broader African energy markets, jointly addressing regional power challenges and contributing to green and sustainable development.

Warm Welcomes and Mutual Understanding: Laying the Cornerstone of Trust
The meeting commenced with Mr. Gao MinDong, Chairman of CPEPE, extending the warmest welcome on behalf of the entire group to the Actom delegation. In his opening speech, Chairman Gao reviewed the profound transformations in the global energy landscape and emphasized the historic opportunity for enhanced production capacity and energy cooperation between China and South Africa under the framework of the "Belt and Road" Initiative. He introduced in detail the attending CPEPE senior executives and core technical team, covering key department heads from R&D, manufacturing, international business, and project financing, demonstrating the comprehensive preparation and high-level attention from the Chinese side.
Subsequently, in a friendly and congenial atmosphere, the Chinese representatives introduced the participating delegates from Actom, and both sides shared an overview of their respective corporate histories, market positioning, and development strategies. To provide the South African partners with a comprehensive, three-dimensional, and intuitive understanding of CPEPE, the meeting featured a special corporate video presentation. The video vividly showcased CPEPE's glorious journey since its founding in 1989, detailing its evolution from a local enterprise to becoming the executive director unit of the China Electrical Equipment Industry Association, a major member of the China Electrotechnical Society, and holding the position of Vice Chairman for both the Electric Control and Distribution Equipment Subcommittee and the High Voltage Switchgear Subcommittee of the China Electric Equipment Industrial Association. The film highlighted the group's continuous investment in R&D innovation, leading practices in intelligent manufacturing, classic case studies serving major domestic and international projects, as well as the numerous authoritative qualifications and honors it has received, leaving a deep impression on the Actom guests.

Focusing on the Core: Comprehensive Negotiations on Future Projects
The central part of this high-level meeting was the in-depth negotiation focusing on potential collaborative projects. Moving beyond generalities, both teams engaged in constructive dialogue directly addressing critical issues such as technical specifications, business models, and implementation pathways.

Technical Alignment and Customized Solutions
At the technical discussion level, engineering teams from both sides exchanged views on the technical parameters, performance stability, and adaptation requirements for high and low-voltage power transmission and distribution equipment suited to specific market environments, such as South Africa's climatic conditions, grid standards, and operational load characteristics. CPEPE emphasized its latest R&D achievements and successful application cases in areas like intelligent switchgear, eco-friendly gas-insulated technology, and new energy integration solutions, demonstrating its strong capability to provide customized solutions based on client needs.

Exploration of Innovative Cooperation Models
Regarding cooperation models, both parties explored various possibilities including technology licensing, joint production, establishment of joint ventures, and collaboration on EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) projects. Representatives from Actom expressed their desire to enhance localized production levels and reduce overall project costs by leveraging CPEPE's advanced manufacturing experience and production capacity advantages. CPEPE demonstrated a flexible and open attitude, expressing willingness to jointly design the most competitive cooperation framework based on project specifics and the respective strengths of both parties.

Financial and Strategic Synergy
The meeting also delved into topics such as project financing, risk sharing, and long-term strategic synergy. Both sides recognized that large-scale energy infrastructure projects require robust financial support. CPEPE introduced its sound cooperative relationships with domestic and international financial institutions and its extensive experience in international project financing. Furthermore, both parties agreed that cooperation should not be limited to single projects but should aim at establishing a long-term, stable strategic partnership to jointly explore emerging energy markets in Africa.

On-Site Witness: A Journey of Confidence from Showroom to Workshop
To provide the partners with the most direct experience, following the meeting, accompanied by Chairman Gao MinDong and other executives, the Actom delegation toured CPEPE's modern exhibition hall and automated production workshops. In the exhibition hall, the guests observed up-close the product models and core components representing the industry's cutting-edge level and gained a deeper understanding of their working principles and technical advantages through interactive demonstrations. Upon entering the vast facility covering 240,000 square meters with a construction area of 120,000 square meters, especially the highly automated intelligent manufacturing lines and precision testing centers, the Actom representatives frequently paused for closer inspection. They highly praised CPEPE's annual production capacity of 20,000 sets of various high and low-voltage equipment, fixed assets exceeding 500 million RMB, and its rigorous quality control system. This tour not only verified the strengths showcased in the corporate video but also allowed the South African clients to personally experience CPEPE's corporate spirit of "Professionalism, Integrity, Cooperation, and Innovation" and its business philosophy of "Remaining vigilant in times of peace, never being complacent, surpassing the present, and seizing the future," significantly bolstering confidence to advance the cooperation further.

Advancing Together: Opening a New Chapter in China-South Africa Energy Cooperation
The successful visit of the senior delegation from South Africa's Actom marks the beginning of in-depth cooperation between CPEPE and a top African enterprise. The broad consensus reached by both sides at multiple levels including technology, market, and capital lays a solid foundation for subsequent signing of specific cooperation agreements. This is not only the starting point of a commercial partnership but also a significant step for CPEPE in implementing its internationalization strategy and deeply participating in global energy governance. Through complementary advantages with international partners, CPEPE has the potential to translate its accumulated "Chinese experience" and "Chinese technology" in the field of high-voltage power transmission and distribution equipment manufacturing into new momentum for serving energy infrastructure construction in South Africa and across Africa. Looking forward, this powerful alliance is destined to inject strong impetus into South Africa's energy security and industrialization process. Simultaneously, it will bring unprecedented new opportunities for CPEPE to expand its international market presence and enhance its brand's global influence, truly realizing the global development goals of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.