ZHEJIANG, China, Dec. 31, 2012  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --SORL Auto Parts, Inc. (NASDAQ: SORL) ("SORL" or "the Company"), a leading supplier of brake and control systems to the global commercial vehicle industry, announced today that the Chinese government has renewed SORL's High-Tech Enterprise status. The Company was also designated as a High-Tech Enterprise beginning in 2009, the first year it was available, through the 2011 fiscal year. As a High-Tech Enterprise, SORL receives a preferred tax rate of 15% for the three years 2012 through 2014, compared with the normal 25% corporate tax rate. 

There are a number of criteria to qualify for the High-Tech Enterprise including: a company must own proprietary intellectual rights, operate in a government-selected industry, R&D expenditures and income from high-tech products/services each must meet a required minimum percentage of annual revenue, and the number of R&D personnel must meet a  required percentage of total employees.

The Company already has received its anticipated tax refund for the first three-quarters of 2012 of approximately $1.2 million (approximately RMB 7.64 million) resulting from this designation.   

For fiscal year 2012, management reiterates its expectation for net sales to be approximately $191.4 million and revises its net income expectation to be approximately $12.7 million. The revised net income guidance is based upon the preferred 15% tax rate from the renewal of the High-Tech Enterprise status. This target is based on the Company's current views on the operating and market conditions, which are subject to change.

Ms. Jinrui Yu, SORL Auto Parts' COO, said, "The High-Tech Enterprise designation reflects the Chinese government's desire to build the domestic technology base by favoring only companies that are advancing technologies. Our research and development program is innovating new products with higher technology content to offer better solutions for our customers' current vehicles and to prepare for future vehicles, especially pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles promoted by the Chinese government. Innovation will enable us to sustain our leading position in the domestic market for brake systems and better penetrate the global auto parts industry to gain momentum for our future growth, strengthen our technology base and build shareholder value."

About SORL Auto Parts, Inc.

As a global tier one supplier of brake and control systems to the commercial vehicle industry, SORL Auto Parts, Inc. is the market leader for commercial vehicles brake systems, such as trucks and buses in China. The Company distributes products both within China and internationally under the SORL trademark. SORL is listed among the top 100 auto component suppliers in China, with a product range that includes 65 categories with over 2000 specifications in brake systems and others. The Company has four authorized international sales centers in UAE, India, the United States and Europe. SORL is working to establish a broader global sales network. For more information, please visit http://www.sorl.cn .

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "believes", "expects" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements may also include statements about the Company's proposed discussions related to its business or growth strategy, which are subject to change. Such information is based upon expectations of the Company's management that were reasonable when made, but may prove to be incorrect. All of such assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies beyond the Company's control and upon assumptions with respect to future business decisions, which are subject to change. The Company does not undertake to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause the Company's results to differ from its projected results, please see its filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Copies of filings made with the SEC are available through the SEC's electronic data gathering analysis retrieval system (EDGAR) at http://www.sec.gov .

Contact Information

Raymond Lin
+86 13967776556
+ 86 577 65817721
Email: ljf@sorl.com.cn

Phyllis Huang
+86 15167705972
+86 577 65817721
Email: Phyllis@sorl.com.cn

Kevin Theiss
Grayling
+1 646 284 9409
Email: kevin.theiss@grayling.com

SOURCE SORL Auto Parts, Inc.