Between 1978-1985 alongside the market-based Chinese economic reforms instituted by Deng Xiaoping, Dongfeng was transformed from a manufacturer of two heavy-duty trucks with fragmented operations and ownership into a single, centrally managed enterprise.
1978-1985年间，伴随着邓小平制定的以市场为基础的中国经济改革，东风公司从一家生产两种重型卡车、业务和所有权极为分散的制造企业，转变为一家集中管理的单一企业。