News Report: The 2026 China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition will be held from October 26 to 28 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Tianjin. Zhongchao Machinery, based in Tai'an, Shandong, will showcase its full range of agricultural machinery steering gear and steering column assemblies. This marks the company's third consecutive year participating in this industry event. 

Zhongchao Machinery is a manufacturing enterprise focusing on the development and export of agricultural machinery steering systems. Its core products include hydraulic steering gears, adjustable steering columns, steering drive shafts, and related accessories, widely compatible with tractors, harvesters, loaders, and other types of agricultural machinery. Currently, the company's products are exported to more than 30 countries, with the top three markets being Russia, Ukraine, and South Africa. 

This year, exports of the company's steering column products have increased notably. "Previously, customers mainly bought the steering gears, but now more and more are purchasing the complete set of steering gear plus steering column," said the company's foreign trade manager. "On one hand, the quality of our steering columns has been improved while remaining about 40% cheaper than original parts; on the other hand, many older foreign models have severely worn steering columns, creating a high demand for repairs and replacements." 

According to the company, exports of steering columns in the first three quarters of this year increased by over 50% compared to the same period last year, making it the company's second-largest export category. 

In terms of product compatibility, the company currently offers more than 200 models of steering gears and steering columns, covering common models of mainstream brands like Dongfeng, Lovol, John Deere, and Kubota. "Our advantage is the full range of models. Customers can generally find what they need, and if not, we can customize based on samples," said the foreign trade manager. Last year, an Iranian customer brought a sample of an old tractor's steering column, and the company developed a mold within a month. After the customer was satisfied with the test fit, they directly placed an order for two containers.

The company has also made market-specific adjustments. For example, in Russia and Ukraine, where winters are cold, they enhanced the low-temperature sealing performance of the steering gear; for the African market, where dust is heavy, the dust cover of the steering column was thickened; and for Southeast Asia, which is rainy and humid, they focused on improving rust resistance. "You can't sell one product for all markets. You have to adjust based on the actual working environment of each market," the manager explained.

At this year's exhibition, the company will also debut a new electric power-assisted steering column, designed for new energy tractors and small agricultural machinery. "New energy agricultural machinery is the trend, and the demand for electric steering systems will continue to grow. We have prepared this product in advance and already sent samples to a few manufacturers for testing," the technical director said. This electric power-assisted steering column is more energy-efficient and easier to operate compared to traditional hydraulic steering, and it is expected to reach mass supply next year.

In terms of channel development, besides participating in domestic and international trade shows, the company is also actively developing overseas agents. Currently, it has set up three regional agent points in Russia, South Africa, and Thailand to handle local pre-sales inquiries and after-sales services. After-sales service for parts products is very important—if customers can’t install them or there are quality issues, someone needs to handle it promptly. We set up these overseas agent points to give our customers more peace of mind.

For this exhibition, the company said it has invited more than 20 long-term customers to attend, and has also prepared a complete product catalog and samples, hoping to attract new customers from South America and the Middle East. "The agricultural machinery steering systems sector isn’t that big, but by specializing and refining our work, there’s still plenty of room to grow," said the company’s representative. "Our goal for the next three years is to double the export volume of steering gears and steering columns."