Swedish entrepreneur capitalizes on Taicang's supply chain to drive rapid business growth

Swedish entrepreneur John Loewbaeck has built a thriving manufacturing business in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, turning his home elevator company, Swift (Suzhou), into a high-growth enterprise within just five years.

Loewbaeck founded the venture in Shaxi town in 2020. Benefiting from the Yangtze River Delta's strong industrial integration, multimodal logistics, and strategic port access, the company rapidly scaled operations.

After selling just six elevators during its first operational year in 2021, Swift's annual sales surged to nearly 900 units by 2025. Loewbaeck attributes this trajectory to local manufacturing efficiency, noting that orders received early in the week can be completed and shipped within days.

In Taicang, Swift is able to source 70 percent of its components locally. As home to over 12,000 industrial enterprises and 1,800 foreign companies, Taicang provides robust ecosystem support across high-end equipment, advanced materials, and modern logistics. Situated 50 kilometers from central Shanghai and supported by Taicang Port, the city offers seamless access to domestic and international markets.

Taicang is home to over 1,800 foreign companies. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

To aid international business owners, Taicang has established streamlined administrative services, including a dedicated foreigner service center and digital tools on the WeChat mini-program. Coupled with specialized legal and intellectual property support, the local business environment enables global entrepreneurs to scale efficiently.