Exel appoints new product manager for transportation business
Exel Composites has appointed Alex Cui as product manager for our transportation segment. Bringing 13 years of experience in the commercial vehicle industry, Cui will help connect customer and market requirements with Exel’s global product portfolio, identifying opportunities for composite solutions in transportation applications. His appointment comes at a significant time for our transportation offering, as we have recently strengthened our capabilities at our facility in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, to support growth in this segment worldwide.
Cui began his career with an engineering background in mechanical design, manufacturing, and automation before moving into the commercial vehicle industry. He spent eleven years at Foton Motor, one of China’s major commercial vehicle manufacturers and an existing Exel customer, progressing through sales roles to become regional sales director. His responsibilities spanned market research, customer and channel development, product coordination, project management, contract negotiation, and after-sales support. He later joined automotive company Geely’s bus business, where he focused on overseas markets.
In his new role, Cui will work closely with Exel’s sales, key account management, application engineering, and other teams to translate market needs into product strategies and solutions. His responsibilities will also include product lifecycle management, roadmap development, pricing, product launches, and identifying opportunities to improve product competitiveness and profitability.
“For me, one of the most important parts of the role is staying close to the market,” said Cui. “You cannot fully understand customer needs from reports or meetings alone. You need to talk to customers, visit them and learn how they use products and what problems they are trying to solve. I see my role as a bridge between the market and Exel, helping turn those needs into the right products and solutions.”
Cui joins Exel as the transportation industry undergoes significant change, driven by trends including electrification, energy efficiency, sustainability, and demand for greater design and production flexibility. Drawing on his commercial vehicle experience, Cui sees opportunities to apply composites where properties such as low weight, corrosion resistance, durability, and design flexibility can address specific operational requirements.
He will be based at Exel’s Nanjing facility in China, which will play an important role in the continued development of the company’s global transportation offering. To support growth and better serve customers, Exel China has recently strengthened its pultrusion capacity, introduced pull-winding technology and expanded its engineering and value-added capabilities, including bonding, painting, drilling and machining. These developments position the site to meet increasingly complex customer requirements and offer a broader range of manufacturing services under one roof.
For Cui, the focus will be on translating these capabilities into new business opportunities by connecting the needs of China’s fast-moving transportation market with Exel’s global manufacturing expertise. Drawing on his understanding of local vehicle manufacturers, supply chains and evolving industry requirements, he will help identify opportunities for composite solutions that can be developed and scaled to serve customers both in China and internationally.
“Alex brings exactly the combination of transportation industry knowledge and customer understanding we were looking for,” said Antti Hassinen, director of product management at Exel. “His experience gives him a strong understanding of the challenges facing vehicle manufacturers and operators, while his commercial background means he knows how to translate those challenges into clear product requirements. As we continue to develop our transportation offering globally, Alex will help us identify where composites can create genuine value for customers and turn those opportunities into scalable solutions.”
Cui added: “The opportunity is not simply about replacing traditional materials with composites. It is about understanding the customer’s application, including weight, maintenance, performance, and production requirements, and identifying where composites can provide a practical advantage.”
