In 1995, Founder Zhang Min, together with several partners, established the predecessor of Founder Motor — Lishui Founder Motor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in a leased old workshop of Lishui Refrigerator Factory. The business started with small iron‑shell motors for household sewing machines. Suffering from poor transportation conditions, staff would carry sewing‑machine motors for delivery using shoulder poles, shouldering the dream of China’s private motor enterprises through those tough early‑stage entrepreneurial years. Thirty years have passed, yet this “shoulder‑pole spirit” has never faded. From delivering individual sewing‑machine motors, to undertaking the technical mission of breaking foreign monopolies, and embracing the ambition of building a national brand for global new‑energy markets, the shoulder‑pole spirit runs through the company’s development, driving Founder Motor forward from mountain‑city alleyways onto the world stage.

Starting from Sewing‑Machine Motors: Forging an “Invisible Champion” in Niche Segment

Under the leadership of Zhang Min, the company quickly stood out among peers. Within merely two to three years, it achieved remarkable milestones including self‑built factories, overseas offices and self‑operated export business. By 1999, Founder Motor had grown into China’s largest foreign‑trade export manufacturer of sewing‑machine motors. In 2001, bolstered by growing strength, the enterprise was officially renamed Zhejiang Founder Motor Co., Ltd., marking a landmark brand upgrade.

In 2003, seizing opportunities brought by mechatronics integration, Founder Motor took the lead domestically to independently develop frequency‑conversion adjustable‑speed AC servo motors and control systems for sewing machines. Building upon this achievement, the company further launched high‑speed computerized automatic lockstitch sewing machines, breaking foreign technological monopolies and filling domestic market gaps.

Thanks to continuous R&D investment and reliable product quality, Founder reached an annual output of 5.5 million sets of household sewing‑machine motors, capturing over 75% of global market share and earning its reputation as a genuine “invisible champion” within this niche industry.

In 2007, the company was successfully listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 002196), witnessing its first major growth peak and opening a new chapter for transformation toward high‑end manufacturing.

Breakthrough in Automotive Seat Motors: Staging an International Comeback

Having secured solid market position in sewing‑machine motors, Founder Motor refused to rest on its laurels. In 2004, the company made a pivotal strategic decision to enter the auto‑parts sector. In 2006, it successfully developed two automotive motor products: window lift motors and seat motors, representing a major corporate transformation.

To advance its automotive‑seat motor business, Founder carried out comprehensive upgrades, building a supply‑chain quality‑management system that meets requirements of mainstream vehicle manufacturers and strengthening overall governance capabilities. Meanwhile, to satisfy automotive‑grade standards, the company ramped up investment in automated equipment and innovatively built island‑style fully‑automatic production lines, delivering high‑efficiency manufacturing with superior product consistency and achieving substantial quality improvement.

In 2019, Founder established a joint venture with Yanfeng Adient to fuel further business growth. As a Tier‑2 supplier, its seat motors are fitted on numerous models from renowned OEMs including BMW, Mercedes‑Benz and Tesla. Today, Founder Motor ranks among China’s largest suppliers of automotive seat motors, completing a splendid business transition from sewing‑equipment components to automotive spare‑parts.

Expansion into New‑Energy Drive Motors: Seizing New High Ground for Global Drive Technology

Driven by China’s national strategy for new‑energy vehicles, Founder Motor set up its New‑Energy Electric‑Drive Division in 2012 to target the core track of traction motors. A series of strategic moves consolidated its industrial foundation: the acquisition plan for Shenzhen Gaokerun was initiated in 2013; Shanghai Haineng and Hangzhou Dewos were acquired in 2015, gradually building competitive strengths in new‑energy motors and intelligent controllers.

A key breakthrough arrived in 2018 with the joining of Dr. Niu Mingkui, who brought profound technical expertise and forward‑looking insights to the team. Taking charge of core technical R&D, Dr. Niu led the team to focus on new‑energy vehicle traction motors as well as stators and rotors. The team conquered hairpin motor technology and independently developed automated production lines, breaking monopolies held by European and American manufacturers. Founder thus became one of China’s earliest independent third‑party enterprises to realize mass production of hairpin motors. Since then, Founder Motor has continuously set new benchmarks in the new‑energy electric‑drive sector and become a preferred supplier for many leading automakers.

In 2021, construction commenced on the “Future Factory” within Lishui Power Valley. Leveraging digital design and smart manufacturing, the site boosted per‑capita production efficiency by 50%, lifting annual capacity to 1.8 million units. In 2022, the Huzhou Deqing factory broke ground. Built in two phases, it targets an annual capacity of 6 million intelligent drive systems. At present, Founder Motor maintains deep‑rooted partnerships with SAIC‑GM‑Wuling, Xpeng, Li Auto and NIO. New project awards from Volkswagen and Leapmotor were secured in 2024. With capacity release and rising penetration of new‑energy vehicles, its new‑energy business is poised for fresh growth momentum.

Looking further ahead, Founder Motor founded its subsidiary Fangde Robotics to develop joint motors for humanoid robots. Nearly 20 relevant patents have been filed, opening up a second growth curve. Its Vietnam‑based production base has gone into full operation, and the Shanghai R&D Center concentrates on cutting‑edge electric‑drive technologies, laying preliminary groundwork for its global layout.

These thirty years witness Founder Motor’s dedication to real‑economy industries and bold innovation, as well as its joint growth with China’s manufacturing industry toward high‑quality development. Standing at a new starting point, adhering to the “technology‑driven” philosophy, Founder Motor will continuously strengthen talent development, delve deep into core electric‑drive technologies, and advance products toward higher‑voltage, integrated and standardized solutions. The company strives unremittingly to become an outstanding, respected world‑class enterprise in the electric‑drive arena.

Such remarkable achievements and breakthroughs over three decades would not have been possible without the wisdom, hard work and commitment of every employee at Founder. You are inheritors of the shoulder‑pole spirit, the solid cornerstone behind each corporate transformation and upgrade, and the source of confidence for the company’s global expansion. It is every member of Founder that shoulders this ever‑growing enterprise and shared dream.

Looking ahead lies a magnificent journey brimming with opportunities. Let us stay aligned with shared goals, demonstrate ownership, jointly shoulder the mission of “Intelligent Manufacturing in China” and keep driving the world forward. Cherishing past glories, we march side by side, translating thirty years of accumulation into powerful momentum for another take‑off, and jointly write an even more splendid new chapter for Founder Motor.