Look at the "Made in China" brand going overseas from a thermos cup

Chinese people's love for drinking hot water is engraved in their bones. "Soaking wolfberry in a thermos cup" once became a hot meme on the Internet. In fact, in addition to "keeping hot", more overseas consumers also use thermos cups to "keep cold". Data shows that China is currently the most important producer and exporter of thermos cups in the world. After the emergence of a number of thermos cup foundries in places such as Yongkang City and Wuyi County in Zhejiang and Jieyang City in Guangdong, the industry has gradually formed after years of development. cluster. Based on excellent quality and considerable output, the brand awareness of Chinese thermos cup companies has begun to sprout. They have transformed from OEM to cultivating independent brands and going overseas through cross-border e-commerce platforms and other channels, making Chinese thermos cups gradually go global with a branded appearance. . "Global Times" reporters recently visited Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, the largest thermos cup manufacturer in China, to gain an in-depth understanding of how "Made in China" civilian products represented by thermos cups can build national brands and gain a foothold in the international market.

China contributes more than 60% of the world'sthermos cup production

"Producing a thermos cup requires dozens or even hundreds of processes. Different styles of thermos cups require different processes." In the rainy season, Yongkang has to withstand the baptism of rain every day, but this does not affect the workers' production at all. enthusiasm. In the production workshop of Zhejiang Ansheng Technology Co., Ltd., a reporter from the Global Times saw that automated robotic arms accurately stretched pieces of 304 stainless steel materials into prototypes of thermos cups. Immediately afterwards, these prototypes are sent to the finishing line for fine grinding and polishing to remove burrs. After that, they undergo welding, vacuuming, automatic coating, packaging and other processes, and finally become beautiful and practical finished thermos cups.

Yongkang is known as the "Capital of Cups in China", and there are many such production lines in this county-level city managed by Jinhua City. In 1994, Zhejiang Yongkang Wanshida Company brought back Japanese thermos cup samples from the United States. After research and testing, it developed its own stainless steel vacuum thermos cup. From this, the thermos cup industry started in Yongkang. "Almost everyone in Yongkang has relatives and friends who are doing the water cup business." A local citizen told reporters that Yongkang has a very dense number of thermos cup factories. Data shows that China contributes more than 60% of the world's thermos cup production, reaching about 800 million units every year. It is said that one out of every three thermos cups in the world is produced in Yongkang.

Ying Xujun, deputy director of the Yongkang Municipal Economic and Information Technology Bureau, said that Yongkang is the largest production and export base for thermos cups (pots) in the country, and the manufacturing capabilities of well-known enterprises are no less than international high-end brands such as Tiger Brand and Thermos. Thermos cups (pots) are currently one of the pillar industries of the city's eight traditional hardware industries, accounting for more than 70% of the country's total annual output and export volume. A total of 17 companies in the industry have obtained 20 "Made in Zhejiang" certification certificates, and 1 listed company There are 188 regulated enterprises, 62 high-tech enterprises, 15 provincial high-tech enterprise R&D centers, 1 Chinese well-known trademark, 8 Zhejiang export famous brands, 5 provincial smart factories (digital workshops), and 2,500 supporting enterprises. Yu family. Hals, China’s “first thermos cup company”, was born here.

More widely known than the "Koubei City", Yongkang is also known as China's "Hardware Capital". Stainless steel is one of the most important upstream raw materials for thermos cups. Stable and large quantities of stainless steel raw materials can ensure the stable production of thermos cups. Lu Zhengjian, chairman of Ansheng Technology Co., Ltd., told reporters that most of the thermos cups exported from China are manufactured in Yongkang. The reason is that Yongkang and surrounding areas have a complete and efficient supply chain and related Corresponding technology accumulation. The same cup is produced in Yongkang with low cost, high efficiency and good quality. This is also an important reason why foreign first-tier brands come to cooperate with local thermos cup companies.

The situation of producing according to foreign brand samples and drawings has been completely reversedFrom the initial extensive production to the awakening of independent brand awareness, and the technical level reaching or approaching the international leading level, China's thermos cup industry has experienced rapid development and iteration in decades. Data released by the research organization Zhiyan Consulting shows that the thermos cup products sold in China are mainly divided into three levels: high-end, mid-range and low-end. Among them, high-end products are dominated by internationally renowned brand products, and domestic manufacturers have not yet formed direct competition with internationally renowned brands. Mid-range products are mainly occupied by leading domestic brands and are mainly distributed in economically developed cities and regions. Market competition is mainly reflected in product quality, functions, styles, sales channels, cost control, etc. Low-end products are mainly produced by small-scale enterprises in the industry, and their consumer markets are mostly located in economically underdeveloped small and medium-sized cities and rural areas.

“To stand out in the fierce market competition, we need all-round innovation, including but not limited to manufacturing innovation, sales model innovation, design innovation, technological innovation, guiding new consumption concepts, etc. Innovation is not just about drawing a drawing; It is about achieving breakthroughs at many levels. "When it comes to the competition between Chinese thermos cups and foreign brands, Lu Zhengjian believes that the current manufacturing process of stainless steel thermos cups is relatively mature, and there is almost no gap in the insulation function of different products, and products of all price ranges are common on the market. Both can provide long-term heat preservation (12 hours of effective heat preservation). Therefore, whether it is the domestic market or the foreign market, the consumption of thermos cups has changed from functional consumption to fashion consumption. In market competition, brand influence and innovation capabilities will become key.