Industrial, textile, digital, 3D ... China-made specialized printers feel boom in nearly 100 countries, regions

Editor's note: This series of stories looks at local enterprises in specialized sectors that have a share in global markets.

When Shi Qianping decided to go into business two decades ago, making money was not foremost on his mind.

"Like many other domestic companies, we faced seemingly insurmountable competition from foreign brands in the printing industry then, with their high standards, advanced technology and established presence," said Shi, now 49.

"I realized it was very shortsighted and impractical to keep thinking about the bottom line. We had to invest in the future to really make our mark."

Shi's prescient focus on building capability, as well as on research and development and long-term investment, has since reaped remarkable rewards.

His company, JHF Technology Group, is now a widely recognized technology enterprise that specializes in the R&D, manufacturing, sales and services of industrial printers worldwide that meet high-quality, high-durability and high-volume production standards.

The company's high-end products have a market share of up to 82 percent in China. Its specialized industrial printers, such as top-of-the-line digital textile printers, can sell for up to 8 million yuan ($1.16 million) each.

The company, based in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, delivers its industrial, textile, digital, 3D and other specialized printers and related products nationwide and to nearly 100 other countries and regions, including Japan, Spain, the United States, Germany, Russia and India.

Supported by nearly 300 employees, including more than 70 R&D staff members, the group recorded output value of 430 million yuan last year, with sales revenue hitting 340 million yuan. The company also holds a large number of patents and international quality certifications that reflect its green and technological advances in the field.

Shi, whose entrepreneurship has won accolades, has also organized and hosted forums to explore and share knowledge and expertise with other industry players around the world, in line with his business philosophy and practice.

He said the entrepreneurial spirit involves self-improvement fueled by passion and the courage to innovate, the determination to persevere and the tenacity to strengthen an enterprise.

Entrepreneurs have to mobilize resources ranging from talent to investment to succeed in running a business, while integrity and following the rule of law are also crucial, Shi said.

He added that his company is committed to corporate social responsibility, sharing its development with the community through improvements in residents' homes and lifestyles as well as other local projects.

One of these community-oriented projects involved leveraging the company's technological and production prowess to quickly manufacture quality face masks and to help meet the huge demand for healthcare supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Shi continued to build on the group's success by helping to set up the city's DMI International Information Industrial Park, to grow core businesses in a comprehensive industrial chain that taps the latest trends and opportunities in the sector at home and abroad.

The industrial park, which covers about 30 hectares, is home to many production sites, management facilities, business incubation hubs and R&D centers, in fields ranging from industrial and 3D printing to equipment manufacturing and sales. The site has attracted more than 170 major enterprises, which contributed to the turnover of 10 billion yuan last year.

Zhao Ning, director of the economic development bureau in Jinan's Huaiyin district, where the park is located, said the site employs more than 1,000 people, is home to major upstream and downstream industries, and includes R&D hubs and financial service centers for future growth and development.

"The DMI International Information Industrial Park is a high-end platform for cultivating star enterprises and expanding and strengthening major industries," Zhao said. "It has played an important role in optimizing the economic structure of our area, incubating innovative enterprises and nurturing high-end manufacturing."

Gao Qingxiang, head of Shandong Zihua Intelligent Technology, said the park, where his company has been located since 2019, has played a major role in building the branding and capabilities of the industry.

Gao's group specializes in 3D printing equipment, with more than a dozen workers involved in the modeling, design, programming, sales and services of its products.

The company prints 3D products for construction, medicine, automobiles and other fields, using more than a dozen materials such as resin, nylon, stainless steel and aluminum alloys.

"The industrial park also offers rental services and related support as incentives," Gao said.

Detu Media, a company that prints large-scale outdoor advertisements and related materials for industry leaders such as telecommunications giant China Mobile and smartphone manufacturer Vivo, is also growing rapidly within the park's business ecosystem.

One of its largest products is a high-quality, mesh-type advertisement that is 76 meters long and 38 meters wide.

Manager Li Junhe said the company benefits from JHF Technology Group's advanced equipment, know-how and networks, all of which translate into considerable increases in its business volume and after-sales services.

"Being in the industrial park, any problems we encounter can be attended to in a timely and efficient manner," Li said.

DMI International Information Industrial Park's high-tech industry ecosystem model will help add impetus to economic development in the region and beyond, Shi said.

"We want to show how, through our specific industry, investment in science, technology and long-term growth can help Chinese businesses and brands become global leaders in their respective fields," Shi added.