The Journey of a Flashlight to the Sea
2024-06-07
How much industry can a small flashlight illuminate? In Xidian Town located in the northern part of Ninghai County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, you may find the answer. This town is currently one of the largest town level production bases for flashlights in China. There are over 900 enterprises in the town that mainly produce flashlights, with an annual output value of 8 billion yuan. The products are sold well in more than 50 countries and regions such as Europe, America, and Southeast Asia. The mobile lighting fixtures produced by Xidian Town occupy an important share in the global industry market. Recently, reporters walked into this "photoelectric town" to explore the path of Xidian flashlights going global. Market demand stimulates new driving forces in the industry. Flashlights were once an essential household appliance for every household, including emergency power outages and nighttime travel. But now smartphones all have lighting functions, and power and lighting facilities in cities and rural areas are gradually improving. Streets and alleys are filled with streetlights, and flashlights seem to be no longer as necessary. Where is the market space for flashlights now? With this question in mind, the reporter visited multiple flashlight companies in Xidian Town. A zoom flashlight that can adjust the beam size in multiple levels by rotating and retracting the "lens"; A flashlight equipped with a large capacity battery that can provide mobile power for electronic devices such as smartphones; A flashlight connected to a string of colorful lights that can create a warm atmosphere for camping nights; A camping lamp with mosquito repellent function that can reduce the suffering of mosquitoes in the wild... Walking into the sample room of Ninghai County Black Forest Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. located in Xidian Town, the reporter was overwhelmed by the variety of mobile lighting fixtures. "The market is undergoing significant changes." Black Forest E-commerce Manager Zhou Yiyun told reporters that in recent years, more and more people have started to pay attention to outdoor activities, and the demand for outdoor equipment, especially portable and high brightness lighting fixtures, is rapidly increasing. "For example, outdoor camping, hiking, exploration, and fishing all require flashlights for illumination and self-defense, while headlight products are used in activities such as night running, night riding, and diving," Zhou Yiyun said. Flashlight companies in Xidian Town are seizing the opportunity of outdoor activities and accelerating the development of mobile lighting products with richer and more practical functions to meet the different needs of consumers. Zhou Yiyun told reporters that Black Forest has currently developed over 250 flashlights and over 160 headlights, applied for over 200 product patents, and is developing new products at a rate of 30 to 40 per quarter. In addition to outdoor activities, engineering construction, maintenance operations, and disaster relief are also irreplaceable application scenarios for flashlights. At Ninghai Yisen Daily Necessities Co., Ltd. in Xidian Town, Feng Yangjian, the head of the development department, showed reporters a "artifact" that he was proud of. This flashlight has a bowl mouth that is thick and thin, resembling a cannon barrel. Without any obstruction, the illumination distance can reach 4738 meters. "The original intention of product design is for outdoor search and rescue, which can be applied in various scenarios or extreme environments to assist in efficient search and rescue operations." Feng Yangjian explained that at disaster sites, many locations are often inaccessible and there is no stable power supply. In this case, such ultra long lighting distance flashlights are needed in conjunction with helicopters to support rescue operations. Like Yisen, many Xidian flashlight companies also develop flashlight products for special application scenarios. For example, Ningbo Shuangtong Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd. has developed a series of products such as hanging, magnetic suction, and bracket based on different working environments such as automotive maintenance and construction sites; Ningbo Rongfa Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd. is engaged in product research and development for extreme environments such as high altitude and extreme cold, and has applied for more than 100 patents. "Although less and less people are using it in daily life, it is still a necessity in many special application scenarios." Feng Yangjian said, "Flashlights are increasingly emphasizing segmented markets and diversified functions. These market demands have stimulated new momentum for the development of Xidian's optoelectronic industry and given us confidence in development." Now, Feng Yangjian and his team are facing a higher challenge - developing a super flashlight with a lighting distance of 10 kilometers, and a waterproof search and rescue light that can be unobstructed underwater at a depth of 200 meters. He believes that these extreme flashlights may be applied in more fields in the future. Technological innovation leads industry transformation. In the production workshop of Ningbo Xiesheng Lighting Industry Co., Ltd., CNC lathes are working. In just a few minutes, aluminum alloy materials are transformed into exquisite and shiny flashlight shell components through precise cutting and carving; On the assembly line, workers are assembling, testing, and packaging in an orderly manner, creating a bustling scene. "The recent order volume is very high," General Manager Hong Yongqiang, who is currently checking the production situation, told reporters that they are working hard to produce a batch of flashlights and lanterns for overseas sales. This enterprise, founded in 1998, is one of the leading enterprises in Xidian flashlight industry. Hong Yongqiang, who has been in the industry for more than 20 years, has also witnessed the development process of Xidian flashlight industry. In the 1990s, relying on the advantages of traditional molds and plastic industry, Xidian Town flashlight enterprises emerged like mushrooms after rain. "At that time, many enterprises started as small workshops," Hong Yongqiang recalled. "The production threshold for products was low, and the technological content was also low. We followed the path of winning by quantity, and many enterprises, including us, were once deeply involved in price wars and homogeneous competition." This development model was clearly unsustainable. If enterprises want to survive and develop, they must transform and upgrade. After a painful experience, Xidian flashlight enterprises are competing to carry out technological transformation, shifting from labor-intensive to technology intensive, pursuing mechanization and automation, implementing large-scale assembly line production, and improving industrial level and efficiency. "From the past manual small instrument lathes to today's CNC lathes, flashlight production has evolved from semi-automatic and semi manual to automated." Hong Yongqiang said that technological innovation has transformed production methods and also brought about the evolution of product forms. From halogen light bulb plastic flashlights in the early days of enterprise establishment to high-power LED aluminum alloy flashlights with high brightness and long lifespan today, product quality has undergone a qualitative leap. In recent years, many flashlight companies in Xidian Town have increased their research and development efforts, focusing on the development of mid to high end flashlights and mobile lighting products. Established in 2018, Ningbo Zhiding Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise. In less than 6 years, the annual output value of the enterprise has increased from 50 million yuan to over 300 million yuan, becoming a rising star among Xidian flashlight enterprises. General Manager He Hongyong, who comes from a technical background, has been struggling in the flashlight industry for over 20 years. In his view, the key to Zhiding's success lies in product research and development. "Our R&D investment is significant, with one-third of the company's employees being R&D personnel, and salaries exceeding 50% are also paid to R&D personnel." He Hongyong told reporters that in order to continuously improve the product grade in terms of performance, function, and appearance, while ensuring product cost-effectiveness, he requires the R&D team to specialize in new technologies, processes, and materials, accelerate product updates and iterations, and the product cycle generally does not exceed 9 months. "80% of cost control comes from research and development. Good design can solve users' pain points, improve product evaluation, and make more consumers like it." He Hongyong showed reporters their flashlight product, which fully considered the actual situation of carpets commonly used in target market households during research and development, and added an induction shutdown function - as long as there is a cover in front of the lamp head, the flashlight will automatically extinguish to avoid fires caused by forgetting to turn off the flashlight and exposing it to heat for a long time. Their multiple products have broken the sales record of their partners surpassing similar products in the North American market. One headlight was sold for 200000 units in just two weeks, and later an upgraded version was launched with no price increase. The cumulative sales reached 1.2 million units. Wu Shuanghai, the person in charge of the Xidian Town Chamber of Commerce, said that the originally low, small, and scattered flashlight industry in Xidian Town has moved towards mid to high end, large-scale, and refined development. Products are constantly making new breakthroughs in efficient energy conservation, intelligent design, safety and aesthetics. "The product not only has high technical content, high reliability, and high brightness, but also has high profits," said Wu Shuanghai. On October 17, 2000, at the 88th Canton Fair, a sensational event occurred - more than 120 farmers from Xidian Town, Ninghai County, Ningbo, chartered a civil aviation flight to Guangzhou to participate in the exhibition. At the international exhibition where foreign businessmen gathered, these farmers and entrepreneurs who were not afraid of hearing or understanding foreign languages and international competition instantly became the focus of media attention. "After getting off the plane, there were all 'long guns and short cannons' in front of me, and I was blinded. I didn't expect so many reporters to interview us." Feng Caitong, the general manager of Ningbo Boyi Electric Appliance Company, is a member of the "charter flight team", and he still remembers the scene from that time. "The town government helped us apply for more than 90 temporary permits. At that time, there were no booths available. Our several companies worked together to create a brochure and sent it to everyone they saw. In the end, I received an order for a flashlight worth over $10000." Now, Feng Caitong's enterprise has an annual output value of over 80 million yuan, with over 90% of its products exported to the international market. However, his most unforgettable experience is still the "first bucket of gold". The pioneering act of charter flight exhibition has opened up the international market for Xidian flashlight enterprises. At the Canton Fair, when it comes to flashlight products, many foreign businessmen will say "China West Store". The small flashlight has become the pride of the people of Xidian and has also illuminated the path of Xidian flashlight enterprises going global. Now, more than 20 years have passed, and the "charter flight spirit" of Xidian has been continuing and developing. Especially after the implementation of the "the Belt and Road" initiative in 2013, Xidian Town accelerated the development of export-oriented economy, encouraged flashlight enterprises to give full play to their advantages, opened up the "the Belt and Road" market, and further promoted trade cooperation with the "the Belt and Road" countries. At present, the Xidian flashlight industry has an outward orientation of over 60%. "We have various cost advantages in the local market, labor, and other aspects. At the same time, the town has a large number of upstream and downstream suppliers in the flashlight related industry, as well as strong basic production line support, which can ensure that flashlight products can quickly go out, deliver on time, and seize market hotspots." Wu Shuanghai said. Xidian flashlight enterprises, on the basis of strengthening the traditional markets in Europe and the United States, actively develop marketable products according to the different needs of the "the Belt and Road" countries. As a response to the inadequate power facilities and frequent power outages in the Middle East region, Xiesheng Company has developed a flashlight with built-in solar panels, and orders have been pouring in since its launch. "We not only sell products, but also services now." Hong Yongqiang said that in addition to designing and producing flashlight products, Xiesheng also accepts customized services and provides product and market sales solutions according to customer needs. "Not long ago, we collaborated with Dubai customers and conducted local market research to understand the target consumer group's needs for the appearance, performance, and function of flashlights. Within a week, we provided more than 20 product solutions, and ultimately the customer chose 7 of them as their products for production and launch, which was welcomed by local consumers." Hong Yongqiang told reporters that personalized customization cases like this account for an increasing proportion of the company's products, currently reaching around 50%. Currently, Hong Yongqiang is planning to travel to Cambodia for market research and further expand into the Southeast Asian market. "The construction of the 'the Belt and Road' has brought us new opportunities and new markets. We should seize the opportunity to sell the flashlight products and services of Xidian to more places in the world
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