★ Out of the "traditional world" Interview with Tian Jiande, Chairman of Hengqiu Technology Co., Ltd.
Time of issue:
2022-08-24
Author:
xjgf
Origin:
Original on this site
The story of Hengqiang is the epitome of the transformation of traditional industries to "Internet +". Although we are enthusiastic about the Internet and the new economy, an indisputable fact is: whether it is the number of employees or economic output, traditional industries are still Chinese industries. The backbone, so when looking at the transformation of traditional industries, anyone should bet on it with admiration.
Tian Jiande, the chairman of Hengshui Rubber Co., Ltd., a traditional equipment manufacturing enterprise, changed its name to "Hengshui Rubber Technology Co., Ltd.", a member of the Hengshui Municipal Political Consultative Conference of Hebei Province, a party representative, a national scientific and technological innovation figure, an expert on special allowances from the State Council, and Hebei Province Thousands of good party secretaries, experts of Hebei Province Science and Technology Award Expert Database, Hebei Province Science and Technology Expert Database Expert, Government Procurement Review Expert, Hebei Province Three-Three-Three Project Talent, Outstanding Entrepreneur, Yanzhao Yingcai Card A Cardholder, Professor-level Senior At present, we are making every effort to build a "smart weighing rubber". His company, Hengqiang Technology (formerly Hengqiang), was founded in 1954 and is currently a "National Torch Plan Implementing Enterprise", "China's Top Ten Rubber Products Enterprises", and "National Intellectual Property Advantage Enterprise". Under the jurisdiction: 5 branch companies, 6 branch factories, 1200 employees, a total area of 1010 acres, mainly equipment manufacturing.
There are two worlds in Tian Jiande's eyes: one is the "traditional world" where he is now. The practitioners in this world are generally not highly educated. Most of the technological processes follow traditions or even ancient times, and some equipment and products still have low technical content. Although the products made are necessities for social development, many competitive advantages brought by the current Internet and new technologies make the world of this industry difficult; The returnees are crowded, and they play artificial intelligence, robotics, HPC (high-performance computing), clean energy, nanomaterials... This world will always be the focus of the media, the prey of venture capitalists, and even the government. .
When "Internet +" and "Made in China 2025" were put forward, traditional enterprises began to think about how to "transform" to digitalization, and Hengqiang Technology is no exception. This company, which has been established for more than 60 years, has been practicing innovative changes: from new products and new technologies, Hengqiang Technology has monopolized many new achievements at the national, provincial and ministerial levels, to the 116 projects that Hengqiang Technology has obtained. National patents (including 18 invention patents), the annual profit and tax has reached 100 million yuan. From the "China Railway Corporation Bridge R&D and Test Base" to the "Luban Award" and "Zhan Tianyou Award" award-winning suppliers, there are countless honors. Today, Hengqiang Technology has raised the banner of digital transformation and led the development of the industry.
Perhaps, in the eyes of many people, Tian Jiande wants to cross two completely different worlds, and there is no way at all. However, in Tian Jiande's view, stepping out of the "traditional world" to the "future world" is only one step away. Because Hengqiang Technology has been dormant for nearly 10 years, and it has long been ready for transformation. From the moment it changed its name to "Hengqiang Technology", this traditional enterprise has become the vanguard of a digital enterprise.
Starting with a name change
Hengrubber Technology "transforms" to digitalization
In the past few years, the development of Hengrubber Technology has always been constrained by two factors. First, it is burdened by the name, which causes a lot of confusion to customers, and also limits its own vision and thinking. It is difficult to undertake the development of new projects and new businesses, and it can only maintain the traditional equipment manufacturing business. Second, the product structure is single, the industry competition is fierce, and the ability to resist risks is lacking. 90% of the products are concentrated on transportation accessories and their extended products, and the profitability is declining year by year. Therefore, the company is faced with the difficult choice of no improvement or improvement, and simple and small changes have no effect.
The original name of Hengshui Rubber Co., Ltd. is "Hengshui Rubber Co., Ltd.", but with the development of business, this traditional manufacturing enterprise is getting farther and farther away from rubber. Therefore, Hengqiu should consider the transformation of the image in addition to the essential transformation. This change can be traced back to Tian Jiande's Tsinghua EMBA experience, which is the trigger for Tian Jiande's determination to make a complete transformation of Hengqiang.
"In Tsinghua EMBA, I learned a lot of theoretical knowledge about transformation, and I really want to bring them into practice." Tian Jiande believes that he has learned more systematic knowledge in EMBA, and also learned how to implement it from top to bottom. implement. For example, learn how Liu Chuanzhi formed a team and led a team, and Li Daokui's judgment and understanding of the macroeconomic situation... In his spare time, Tian Jiande asked his tutors how to transform a traditional manufacturing enterprise. Tian Jiande also specially invited EMBA tutors to visit his factory and asked them to give some professional opinions to the transformation of Hengqiang.
In Tian Jiande's view, the name change is not only a change in the name logo, but also a major change in the company's development direction, which shows the company's determination and confidence in transforming from a traditional manufacturing industry to an Internet high-tech enterprise. Reconstructing each link of the enterprise operation value chain with Internet thinking, while making continuous breakthroughs, based on professionalism, with the innovative spirit of openness, interconnection and sharing, more diversified and richer business forms, and open up unlimited market growth space.
For many years, Hengqiang Technology has been committed to intensive cultivation in the field of engineering components, although it has accumulated some advantages and mature experience, such as output, quality, scale, efficiency, delivery time, cost control, market share, etc., ranking first in the industry. A square. However, in Tian Jiande's view, it is impossible to achieve the long-term development of the enterprise simply by relying on the engineering component business and the accumulated advantages. "With this renaming, the company adjusts its strategy to further enhance its development capabilities for transformation and upgrading, and quickly enters into the new material market, capital market, and interconnected intelligent industry, so as to adapt to the current information age and the new situation of Industry 4.0," Tian Jiande said.
"Revolution is not so bloody"
Learn to use strength
The reporter walked into Hengqiang's factory, and the huge "Hengqiu Technology" LOGO alluded to the background of the high-tech industry. In fact, the LOGO change only happened a few months ago. "We have made adequate preparations for this day." Tian Jiande was like a child at that time, and he couldn't wait for reporters to see the changes they had made in recent months.
In just a few months, the company has erased the traces of "traditional manufacturing". "We have been doing transformation. In fact, our essence has changed a long time ago." Tian Jiande introduced that Hengqiang has been making "reserves" for the transformation, including technical reserves and personnel reserves. For example, internally it is the adjustment of the personnel structure of the enterprise and the digital construction of the workshop; externally, it is the digital expansion of the business, such as the construction of a digital collection platform.
"In recent years, I have also participated in many forums and studied many reports. There are many topics about how big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things can change traditional manufacturing and help them transform and upgrade. We have also made many attempts." Tian Jiande As an example, Hengqiu has a systematic project on bridge detection. The technology of this project is very difficult. Just like driverless car technology, it needs to sense the operation of vehicles through sensors, but it also needs to take into account the construction of bridges. duration. Another intelligent product of Hengqiang Rubber Co., Ltd., "Bridge Intelligent Swivel System", on the one hand, makes bridge construction more independent and free, and on the other hand does not delay the traffic on land. "We reserve for new technologies and reserve for research and development."
The "reserve" for transformation also includes business. For example, most of Hengqiang's business comes from land, but five years ago, they began to try a "cross-border" - to carry out marine business. "We have an ocean project with CNOOC. The project is difficult and both parties need to invest in research and development, but the project has far-reaching significance." Tian Jiande believes that the country is promoting the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the topic of "blue ocean" will make the Hengyang's business expanded.
At present, the state vigorously advocates the development of high-end equipment manufacturing industry, vigorously promotes the integration of information technology and traditional industries, and promotes major favorable measures such as the “Belt and Road Initiative” and “Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development”. "We must seize this rare and favorable opportunity, and take the opportunity of renaming to improve bridge bearings and expansion joints, expand existing businesses such as metal mesh industry, polymer materials and metal processing, and build real bridges. Potential projects such as supervision and maintenance and intelligent equipment manufacturing, strengthen new businesses such as offshore engineering equipment and offshore wind power, intervene in the Internet industry, integrate into the capital market, etc. Through human, equipment, capital and other tangible assets and skills, brands, social resources and enterprises The sharing of invisible assets such as culture can reduce costs, diversify market risks, focus on core capabilities, achieve good benefits, and achieve the purpose of promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional equipment manufacturing methods." Tian Jiande said.
With self-discipline of "self-improvement" and responsibility of "rubber lifting the world". In Tian Jiande's view, the future Hengrubber Technology should be based on traditional transportation supporting products, with high-end manufacturing, green manufacturing, and intelligent manufacturing as the core, and scientifically apply new technologies such as Internet +, Internet of Things, and Internet of Services to comprehensively create " Smart Balance".
The "microcosm" of traditional enterprises going digital
Transformation requires "correct posture"
Talking with Tian Jiande is like listening to a lesson: "There are indeed many things worth doing and can do in traditional industries, and the key lies in how to do it". The transformation of Hengqiang Technology is a "microcosm" of the digitalization of traditional enterprises. Returning to China's traditional manufacturing industry, the transformation and upgrading of this industry requires the joint efforts of several aspects. The first is the various interest communities in the current industry chain. Industry leaders need to have an open vision and sense of mission to invest in and improve the industry, not just extracting increasingly meager profits from the production line year after year. However, at present, the profit of this industry is not high, and it is difficult to achieve great results by relying on its own capital strength. Fresh external capital investment is essential for the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Investors need to be more patient to guard the long process of transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. The process is to strive for long-term benefits, rather than rushing to those industries that may be quickly realized.
"Governments at all levels, which have always dominated the Chinese market, must also contribute appropriately, and they must favor traditional industries in policy formulation." As a representative of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a party representative, I may have developed a "professional habit", and the suggestion is also a high-profile and loud voice. He said that now our country's policy of preferring new technology is too similar to that of Silicon Valley in the United States. The policy orientation of developing strategic emerging industries everywhere is not in line with China's actual situation, but may cause some regions to lose opportunities for traditional industries to transform and upgrade. It even brings about the problems of product homogeneity and industry isomorphism between regions. At present, the short-term interest orientation of governments at all levels is very obvious, and private capital often acts according to the measures of the government, thereby reducing its own investment risk. On the contrary, the economic role of the government should be to make up for market failures and provide long-term, advanced support, while traditional industries are currently in such a situation that they need support.
[Reporter's Notes]
Passion ignites the revolution of tradition and technology
Compared with other countries in the world, the overall situation of China's traditional industries is relatively good at present. Although there are challenges in transformation and upgrading, if we do it seriously, we can achieve great results. But history is also often surprising. Some very reasonable and logical things did not happen, while some seemingly unimaginable things happened. In addition to rational logic, people's "feelings" also influence the trend of history. Although the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries is in line with the big business logic, it still needs a story and a spirit to ignite this change. What story is more legendary than the transformation from front-line worker to chairman in 22 years? The correct attitude and attitude of China's innovation should be to open up and link the world of traditional industries and the world of new technology, which will be a lucrative and beautiful new world.