China's Sany sets up commercial bank

CHANGSHA - Sany Group, the parent company of heavy machinery manufacturer Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd, on Monday led a group of ten private companies in setting up a commercial bank.

The Sanxiang Bank, based in Hunan province, will operate with a registered capital of 3 billion yuan ($435 million). It is China's eighth private commercial bank since the regulatory allowed private capital into the banking sector in 2013.

The Sanxiang Bank will focus on Chinese manufacturers, especially those investing heavily in technology.

The bank's president, Liang Zaizhong, said that while operating with much less capital than state banks, it is China's first bank associated with a major manufacturer.

Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd sells a wide range of construction machinery such as excavators and cranes and has extensive global presence. It operates 25 manufacturing bases and 100 offices worldwide. Key overseas research and production hubs are based in Brazil, Germany, India and the United States.

The company has ventures in clean energy, with a focus on wind power.