Most aircraft manufacturers assemble their planes at headquarters and then fly the final products to their customers. But European company Airbus has flipped the script, by adopting a strategy of shipping components for assembly overseas. The first foreign plant established under this model is right here in China. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei found out more by following this innovative production chain from nose to tail.  

An airplane factory next to a maritime port. Two key transport modes of the global logistic network working in tandem. It may seem redundant for one vehicle to transport another, but here in Hamburg, aircraft manufacturer Airbus is sending some of its larger components to China by sea to be assembled by a local operation line.  

GAO TIANXIAN, REPRESENTATIVE TIANJIN PORT FREE TRADE ZONE AIRBUS FAL-ASIA TRANSPORTATION "This is a strategy that Airbus is using to fulfil market demand for its product in China. On the one hand, the Chinese side will gain manufacturing skills. On the other hand, this shows Airbus's sincere commitment to industrial cooperation."  

ZHAO YUNFEI HAMBURG, GERMANY "The components of this Airbus A320 are now being loaded to a COSCO SHIPPING vessel. It's a scene that takes place once a week here in Hamburg. In just about one month's time, the plane's components will arrive in China."

ZHAO YUNFEI TIANJIN, CHINA "Airbus's first overseas assembly line was started right here in Tianjin. It's here that the larger pieces of the A320 are put together. It will be another 10 weeks before the plane is ready for delivery. "

RONAN OUDOT, HEAD OF FLOWLINE OPERATIONS AIRBUS TIANJIN FINAL ASSEMBLY COMPANY "This is really a model of cooperation, especially between Europe and China. 10 or 12 years ago when this project was on the table, it was the first time that Airbus company was thinking about assembling aircraft out of Europe."

Airbus is looking to improve its long-distance logistics even further.

The company has made great strides over the past decade, like training up local talent to reach the high standard of skills required for such a large task.

Now, 10 years on, this assembly line has delivered nearly four hundred A320s. And the site's success has had a spillover effect on the broader aviation industry here in Tianjin.  

DAVID ZHENG, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER AIRBUS TIANJIN FINAL ASSEMBLY COMPANY "This high-tech project has boosted the local economy and has attracted more and more aviation industries setting up in this area."

With the experience and lessons of the Tianjin site now under its belt, Airbus's other international assembly lines like this one has taken off.  

Zhao Yunfei, CGTN.