40 Years of AICHELIN China

The AICHELIN Group celebrated the 40th anniversary of its presence in China in July 2025.

What began in 1984 with the first order of industrial furnaces is today a cornerstone of the company's structure: Around 550 employees work at the site, and more than 1,500 systems have been manufactured to date for industries ranging from automotive to aerospace. This anniversary thus represents four decades of reliable partnerships and technological advancement.

Anniversary with a view to the future

In 1985, a representative office was opened in Beijing, followed by in-house production in 2005, and finally a plant in Tangshan in 2017. Since then, local engineering and service offerings have been consistently expanded. The anniversary was celebrated in Beijing with guests from business, politics, customers, and employees, providing an opportunity to honor both the past and the future.

In autumn 2025, AICHELIN China took a significant step: its headquarters moved to Beijing Future Science City – a modern location that combines development, sales, service, and training. With this move, AICHELIN is sending a strong signal of its commitment to customer proximity, innovation, and sustainable growth worldwide.

“SUNrise in Beijing” – the book for the anniversary

As part of AICHELIN China's anniversary celebration in Beijing, a book about the life's work and life of the long-time AICHELIN China CEO, Mr. Sun YeFan, was presented.

The book, produced on behalf of Berndorf AG, presents the success story of "40 years of AICHELIN in China" on 184 pages, which is closely linked to the personal work of Mr. Sun.

Having grown up in Beijing, Mr. Sun YeFan moved to Inner Mongolia during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s to live and work as a shepherd in a tent. That his life path from there – through many stages – eventually led him to become an industrial CEO is part of the (almost) unbelievable start-up story of AICHELIN China, which author Peter Bichler recounts in this book celebrating the 40th anniversary of AICHELIN in Beijing.

From 1984 onwards, when AICHELIN Austria received a major order for 8

After starting heat treatment plants in China, Mr. Sun YeFan shaped the company's development for over three decades. What was once AICHELIN's sales office in Beijing became the market leader for industrial furnace plant construction and automation in China.

As the first and for a long time the only employee of AICHELIN China, Mr. Sun YeFan succeeded in channeling his enthusiasm for technology, customer service, and business acumen into a kind of "start-up culture" for industrial furnace manufacturing. With his leadership qualities and strong communication skills, he passed this philosophy on to hundreds of employees in sales, development, and production over the years.

Berndorf AG CEO Franz Viehböck acknowledged the professional and personal journey of the honoree and congratulated him: “Whenever life has presented him with a difficult task – Mr. Sun YeFan has always chosen to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”