China News Service, Taizhou, August 2 (Reporter Fan Yubin) Huangyan Mould, Wenling Pump Industry, Yuhuan Valve, Linhai Outdoor Leisure Products...In the birthplace of China's private economy-Taizhou, Zhejiang, the massive economy is getting rich. Nowadays, more and more places are thinking about a new proposition: how to step on the pace of the times and promote the massive economy to burst into new momentum?
The Linhai glasses industry in Taizhou emerged from the reform and opening up, and has now become China's sunglasses production base and China's glasses export base. Only in the town of Linhai glasses industry-Duqiao Town, there are nearly a thousand glasses production enterprises, more than a thousand sales operators, and nearly 60,000 employees. Little glasses go to the world from here.
Overseas orders, production lines shut down, exports blocked... The sudden new crown pneumonia epidemic has put the Linhai glasses industry into trouble. "We must unite and transform into a group to turn crises into opportunities." This is the most frequently spoken sentence of local governments and entrepreneurs to reporters from China News. At present, the Linhai glasses industry has begun to "group for warmth". While stabilizing orders, it actively explores the market, builds brands, improves quality, and takes the epidemic to transform and upgrade.
Sunglasses produced in Linhai, Zhejiang. Photo courtesy of Duqiao Town, Linhai City
Market superimposed influence promotes change
Looking back in history, the Linhai glasses industry cluster with Duqiao as the core originated from the sales of glasses in the 1970s.
"At that time, thousands of people from Duqiao walked the streets to sell glasses purchased from Wenzhou and Guangzhou, forming an industrial group and sales network invisibly." Chen Zhaoshui, secretary general of Linhai Optical Industry Association, recalled, as more and more With the emergence of multi-family workshop-style small factories, under the protection of sales channels, the glasses industry group began to sprout.
"Duqiao glasses has become more famous, but it has been following the label of positioning'low-end', which has seriously affected the reputation of Duqiao glasses." Chen Zhaoshui said frankly, compared to Shenzhen, Xiamen, Wenzhou, Danyang and other places, The advantage of Linhai glasses industry in opening up the market by "low-price competition" in the past is getting weaker.
The keen and flexible Zhejiang merchants also recognize their own shortcomings. For example, the "leader" in the Linhai glasses industry-Yingchang Group Co., Ltd. has built its own brand of "Pasha" sunglasses for many years, and through various changes such as upgrading the product level, the company has The sales volume of sunglasses ranks second in the country, with an output value of over 200 million yuan.
Foreign trade is the main sales channel of Linhai glasses industry. Under the global pandemic, many export-oriented companies were caught off guard. "Many orders from overseas markets have been cancelled or delayed, which brings us tremendous pressure." A glasses manufacturer admitted frankly that it must be "steady" to win.
Goggles production line of a company in Linhai, Zhejiang. Photo courtesy of Duqiao Town, Linhai City
Product transformation and upgrading to seek new opportunities
Under the epidemic situation, how should enterprises be stable? Many Linhai glasses manufacturers said that they would seize new opportunities by producing marketable products.
During the epidemic prevention and control stage, the demand for goggles increased sharply. The reporter saw in the production workshop of Zhejiang Yubo Glasses Co., Ltd. in Shangpan Town, Linhai City. Workers dressed in protective clothing and masks were busy producing goggles on an automated assembly line.
"For the glasses manufacturing industry, this kind of transformation is not complicated. You don't need to change the production line, but only need to update the design direction and materials." said Zhou Guibing, general manager of Zhejiang Yubo Glasses Co., Ltd., "We already have the production and export qualifications for glasses. , You only need to obtain the relevant medical device production record certificate."
With the efforts of various parties, many glasses manufacturing companies in Linhai have put into production of goggles, and have successively obtained foreign certifications; mutual assistance in the industry has also agreed to use the "shared order" model to drive production.
Like Yubo Glasses, many optical companies are under the epidemic, see the situation early, start quickly, make full use of their own advantages, and bring a certain buffer stage to the enterprise. In the view of Wang Zhengliang, director of the key project office of Duqiao Town, Linhai City and general manager of Zhejiang Glasses City, "the'reverse' of the epidemic is just an accident. In recent years, the decline in the output value of the sunglasses industry and the transfer of production enterprises are worthy of vigilance."
"Everyone helps, there is nothing difficult to get through." "It's no longer possible to walk on one leg with foreign trade"... Almost every day, the internal communication group of the Linhai glasses industry will be screened, and the most discussion among practitioners is "transformation."
Wang Zhengliang said that increased market competition is inevitable. "In recent years, Sichuan, Chongqing, Jiangxi and other places have been developing the glasses industry, and Shenzhen, which used to be mainly foreign brand glasses, has also shifted from the export market to the domestic market, which is bound to have an impact on the Linhai glasses industry."
"Goggles is not a long-term business after all, but it is an opportunity for us to deepen the foreign market." Zhou Guibing said that he is planning to market a newly designed sunglasses. "We can no longer follow the old path of homogenization and price wars, otherwise we will only'injure both sides'."
Zhejiang Glasses City. Photo courtesy of Duqiao Town, Linhai City
"Old trees bloom new flowers"
At present, glasses are showing a trend of changing from functional products to fashion accessories. This is not only a challenge facing the glasses industry, but also an opportunity for innovative development.
As a traditional Linhai industry, the optical industry has been restricting its development due to many factors such as low technical level of employees, weak corporate brand awareness, and insufficient equipment technology. The company has low technical content and few high-end brands. It mainly participates in low-cost competition. market.
"In recent years, the Linhai Municipal Government has been rectifying the eyewear industry. While rectifying environmental pollution, it has also implemented a subsidy policy for corporate technological transformation to improve product quality. In addition, local companies will also be encouraged to participate in trade fairs, promote brands, and open glasses. Sales." Zheng Dan, director of the Industrial Economic Office of Duqiao Town, Linhai City, said that now, the subsidy for Duqiao glasses manufacturers to participate in the exhibition has increased from 50% to 80%.
During the epidemic, Wang Dan, deputy secretary of the Linhai Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, came to the Linhai live broadcast special of "Made in Taizhou" and turned into a host with goods to speak for Linhai Goods. "Linhai is the famous'kingdom of glasses' throughout the country, which gave birth to brands such as Pasha, Langtemeng, Cathy Road, and Zhonggang." During the live broadcast, Wang Dan spoke for a "Pasha" glasses, "According to the Chinese It’s very comfortable because of its facial features. The glasses are made in Linhai."
"Live streaming with goods is expected to bring traffic economy to Linhai glasses." Tao Yongcai, head of Duqiao E-commerce Association, said that many Linhai glasses are currently exported as finished products, and they also have their own designs and brands, and they have advantages in planning domestic sales. Many eyewear manufacturing companies have seen a turnaround. They are actively exploring the domestic market while stabilizing foreign trade orders and creating their own brands. "Everyone's confidence is back."
After a few months of practice, the path has become clearer: Actively explore the domestic market, especially using the power of e-commerce.
Linhai City is also accelerating the optimization and upgrading of the glasses industry, comprehensively improving the level of innovation, intelligent manufacturing, and green development, accelerating the transformation of old industrial sites and the construction of innovation and entrepreneurship parks for small and micro enterprises, and promoting the layout and intensive development of the glasses industry. The development of new materials and the upgrading of key production technologies will enhance the brand connotation and market competitiveness of the glasses industry in all aspects.
It is not difficult to give birth to a small pair of glasses, but how to forge a "golden business card" for local industries and add luster to "Made in China". Change a pair of glasses to see, the world may be very different. (Finish)