It is well known that the Blister Packing Machine manufactured by the Zhejiang Ruian Jiangnan Packaging Machinery Factory has shattered sales records among comparable products at China’s national trade fairs for the fourth consecutive time. During the National Autumn Pharmaceutical Machinery Trade Fair in Tianjin, I met with Yang Yijun, the head of the factory. Mr. Yang frankly shared the open secret behind Jiangnan’s continuous success: a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit.
Through sheer tenacity, Yang invented the DGB-250, a multifunctional roller-plate automatic blister packing machine. In its early days, the product earned the title of “Zhejiang Quality Good” and secured the Gold Award at the “National New Products and Technologies Trade Fair” hosted by the State Scientific and Technological Commission, significantly raising the profile of the Jiangnan Packaging Machinery Factory. However, the team at Jiangnan refused to rest on their laurels. They have continually refined their products to enhance quality, ensuring long-term customer loyalty.
At the trade fair, the display model featured a newly integrated dust collector built upon the original design. This upgrade not only resolved dust issues during the packaging process but also introduced a reversible heat-sealing section, making the checkered plate both convenient and safe to clean. Even with over 30 competing products on display at the International Exhibition Center, several business people rushed to order this specific model. Deciding who would get the single display unit proved difficult. Ultimately, after Yang patiently mediated and negotiated, the machine was sold to Luxi Pharmaceutical Factory. Meanwhile, a Singaporean businessman was so impressed that he immediately signed a contract with Yang for three machines on the spot.
Business is Fiercer Than War
“A trade war is fiercer than a real war.” Yang knows perfectly well that if Jiangnan fails to capitalize on even minor technological breakthroughs, it will struggle to maintain its competitive edge. To this end, Jiangnan has deeply embedded its core philosophy of “seeking truth and innovation” alongside a rigorous work ethic emphasizing “resolute action, strict requirements, actual performance, and valuing talent.”
Constructive proposals from employees regarding market trends and enterprise operations are swiftly implemented if viable, and staff are strictly rewarded or penalized based on performance. Following its transition to a joint-stock system in 1989, the company launched comprehensive reforms in recruitment, remuneration, and bonus allocation. While employee training is highly prioritized, underperforming or delinquent staff are let go. Furthermore, industry experts and engineering professionals have been recruited to form Jiangnan’s senior advisory group.
Yang frequently emphasizes that internal friction is fatal to an enterprise. By streamlining internal relationships, their enterprise management successfully reached national Total Quality Management (TQM) standards, passing the ministry-level inspection in October of this year.
A Commitment to Speed and Quality
It is no exaggeration to say that every employee at Jiangnan is entirely dedicated to product improvement. “We constantly think about developing and refining our blister packing machines to meet market challenges—even when we are eating or sleeping,” Yang noted.
Bound by a shared interest in survival and growth, the people of Jiangnan are adept at utilizing market intelligence and seizing every opportunity to develop high-quality, highly marketable products. For instance, the design of Jiangnan’s latest high-efficiency film coating machine began just last autumn, and manufacturing trials were completed by this spring. Customers were already able to view the upgraded machine at this trade fair. The entire development cycle took less than a year, perfectly illustrating the old military adage: “Speed is a soldier’s greatest asset.” It is reported that, outside the Ministry of Space Industry, Jiangnan is the only enterprise with the technical capability to produce this equipment.
As the trade fair concluded, I learned that Jiangnan’s transaction volume had once again topped the charts among similar products. With an improving business environment and the rapid development of the modern pharmaceutical industry, I am confident that a bright future awaits Jiangnan.
Like the rising sun painting the river red, the spring wind continues to blow Jiangnan’s fame ever further.
Source: Excerpted from China Pharmaceutical News, December 5, 1993
Author: Jin Jing, Reporter with China Pharmaceutical News