Heli's new distribution center in Uruguay is revolutionizing delivery times in Latin America

The Chinese industrial vehicle manufacturer established itself in Uruguay two years ago, marking a milestone in the country’s business ecosystem and consolidating its strategic platform for continental expansion. “Heli was founded with the vision of becoming one of the world’s top five companies in the industry,” said Wu Tao, Head of Heli Forklift Group South America.“Over the decades, we have evolved steadily, moving beyond our origins as a local player in China to establish ourselves as a global leader,” he added .

“Choosing Uruguay was a strategic decision based on multiple factors,” the executive explained in an exclusive interview with Talk Zone. “Uruguay, as a regional distribution hub, reduces delivery times and offers faster, more localized after-sales service, improving access to inventory and replacement parts,” he noted .

Starting from scratch is always the hardest part. Wu Tao personally oversaw every crucial step in the company’s development in the region: market research and site selection, registration of the legal entity, recruitment and onboarding of the local team, and the establishment and efficient Operation of the supply chain. Below, the head of the Operation reveals the details of the company’s commitment to Uruguay and explains how the multinational plans to conquer the continental market from its new hub in Zonamerica.

What was the company's founding vision, and how did it evolve to become a global leader in material handling and logistics solutions?

Heli was founded in 1958 in the city of Hefei, and today we operate as a publicly traded company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. This growth has been driven by a commitment to technological innovation, quality, and international expansion. Today, we are recognized as one of the world’s leading forklift manufacturers, with a global presence, offering comprehensive solutions for material handling and logistics.

What was the main turning point in Heli's history, and what decisions enabled the company to accelerate its expansion until it became one of the world's leading forklift manufacturers?

The definitive turning point came when we adopted a mindset of strategic globalization. We decided to actively expand into new markets outside of China. This step required significant investments in research and development to create products that meet the highest international standards. At the same time, we built a robust global distribution network. However, the most crucial corporate decision was to commit to operating locally in each strategic market.

Our company's establishment in Uruguay reflects this vision for Latin America. This approach allows us to be much closer to our customers and provide excellent service. By quickly adapting to the region's specific needs, we are able to accelerate our business and consolidate our leadership position in the global manufacturer rankings.

You just mentioned that Heli’s headquarters is located in Hefei, one of China’s major industrial hubs. What advantages does this location offer in terms of innovation, production, and the supply chain? How do those advantages translate into the products, delivery times, and services that Heli’s customers in Latin America receive?

Hefei is one of China's major manufacturing hubs, and operating from there gives us significant competitive advantages. We have an extremely dynamic innovation ecosystem, direct access to world-class suppliers, and a highly efficient supply chain. All of this enables us to manufacture superior-quality equipment equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

Customers in Latin America benefit directly from access to the best technology on the market. At the same time, Hefei’s industrial efficiency enables us to offer highly competitive prices. As the perfect complement, our logistics platform in Uruguay drastically reduces delivery times. This regional distribution center ensures faster, more localized after-sales service, fully optimizing access to our inventory and spare parts network.

Why did they choose Uruguay as the location for Heli's new regional distribution center, and what strategic advantages does it offer for South America?

Choosing Uruguay was a strategic decision based on several key factors. The country offers political and economic stability, which is essential for planning and sustaining our Operations over the long term. Furthermore, its prime geographic location, combined with first-rate port infrastructure and its membership in Mercosur, positions it as the ideal gateway to the entire region.

At the corporate level, Uruguay offers an extremely favorable business environment, supported by legislation that actively encourages foreign investment and a highly qualified workforce. The synergy of all these elements provides us with a solid and completely reliable platform from which to operate, scale our business, and efficiently distribute our equipment throughout Latin America.

What advantages did you find in Zonamerica for setting up and operating this logistics center?

At Heli, we were looking for a space where we could consolidate our logistics, administrative, and customer service Operations operations in one location. Zonamerica had the infrastructure to help us achieve our goals for the region.

Our inventory and spare parts management is a good example of this. Imagine that, in the past, maintaining adequate stock to supply South America from outside the region was complex and costly. Today, we operate a highly dynamic distribution center. This enables us to store and ship equipment quickly and efficiently to any country on the continent. We’ve streamlined the logistics process and drastically reduced delivery times for our network of distributors and end customers.

What goals has Heli set for itself for the next five years in Latin America, and what role will Zonamerica play?

Our goal for the next five years is to establish Heli as one of the leading providers of material handling solutions in Latin America. We see great potential in the market, especially in fleet electrification. Our “Lead-to-Lithium” solution (switching from lead-acid to lithium batteries) is generating a lot of interest, as it helps operators reduce long-term costs and become more efficient.

Zonamerica is the hub of Operations for this expansion. From there, we not only manage distribution but will also strengthen our network of distributors in key markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru, offering them better access to inventory, training, and technical support. Zonamerica is the logistical and commercial cornerstone of our growth strategy in the region.

What is the current structure of Heli's network of distributors and partners in Latin America, and how will things change for them with the opening of the regional center in Zonamerica?

We have a strong network of distributors in the region’s major markets who serve as our key strategic partners. The creation of the new facility in Zonamerica completely transformed our operational experience. We will no longer be a distant supplier but will become a true, local partner.

Through this innovative platform, we have been able to substantially improve the availability of inventory and spare parts. By storing our inventory directly in the region, we ensure a continuous supply and drastically reduce wait times.

At the same time, we have streamlined our entire technical support ecosystem. Having a team of local professionals enables us to respond more quickly to the day-to-day needs of our distributors and end customers. Finally, this local presence makes it easier to organize training programs for technical and sales staff. In this way, we ensure that our entire network acquires comprehensive, high-quality knowledge about each of our products.

What functions does the Heli center in Zonamerica perform, and how does it integrate with the company's " Operations " and its distributors in South America?

The center, located in Zonamerica, serves as the brain and heart of our Operations operations in Latin America. This strategic hub brings together key functions such as comprehensive management of the regional supply chain and strict inventory control. It also centralizes sales management, regional marketing, technical support, and after-sales service.

This platform serves as the primary link between our headquarters in China and our local partners. We integrate all Operations into a unified platform for communication, logistics, and corporate administration. This synergy allows us to be much more agile and efficient in decision-making and to execute our market strategy with greater precision.

Based on Heli’s experience, what would you say to another international company that is considering Uruguay and Zonamerica as a platform for operating in Latin America?

Establishing Heli in Zonamerica has improved the company’s day-to-day operations. Not only because of the connectivity with Mercosur and the rest of Latin America, but also because of the interaction with other companies in the local ecosystem, which allows us to plan our growth on a solid foundation.