Warm Business Environment Stories Of Haijing Zhu Liyan Of Zhiju Piping Navigating Global Markets Alone Braving Winds And Waves Of Opportunity And Challenge

On the vibrant land of Haijing District, the lights shining in every factory and each technological breakthrough reflect the passionate journeys of private entrepreneurs .Their stories are filled with tales of rising from nothing, unwavering dedication to innovation, and the heartfelt collaboration between government and businesses to improve the local business environment.The Warm Business Environment . Stories of Hajjing series takes you inside the world of private entrepreneurs in Haijing. You’ll hear their voices of ambition and innovation, witness the mutual growth between enterprises and the district , and uncover the driving forces behind the thriving private economy.

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                          Zhu Liyan, General Manager of Zhejiang Zhiju Piping Co., Ltd.

From the humble beginnings in 1991, when father Zhu Jianxin scraped together funds from friends and relatives to start a small factory, to hispost-90s son Zhu Liyan stepping up in a time of need to explore global markets, Zhejiang Zhiju Piping Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “ZhijuPiping”), a time-honored manufacturing enterprise in Wenzhou, has been shaped by two generations of leadership. While the elder generation embodies the craftsmanship spirit marked by the patience and focus of brewing tea, the younger generation carries forward a bold maritime spirit-navigating winds and waves in the face of opportunity and challenge.

As a child, I once wrote in an essay that I wanted to become an entrepreneur.

On the culture wall of Zhiju Piping hangs a treasured old photograph,taken in 1993-the year Zhu Liyan was born.”In the photo, my father is holding me as a baby, standing inside our humble factory, with our early products laid out on the ground,” Zhu recalls.Zhiju Piping was “born” two years before him, and like many entrepreneurs of his generation, his father started the business using whatever means he could borrowing money from relatives and friends to gather enough capital, relying on rudimentary equipment, and taking on multiple roles himself: machinist, loader, and salesman all in one.

Perhaps it was the influence of growing up around it, but from a young age, Zhu Liyan had a dream of following in his father’s footsteps”l remember it vividly-when l was seven or eight years old, l wrote in a Chinese exam essay: “When l grow up, l want to be an entrepreneur.”That aspiration never changed. The year he graduated from university,.Zhu joined Zhiju Piping. Reflecting on the decision, he said:”To me, Zhiju felt like a sibling growing up we grew together.Choosing to return and take over the business meant taking on the responsibility of guiding it, like raising a child. You have to ask yourself, “Where should l lead her next?”

As long as there’s a single customer in that country, l’ll go.

However, Zhu Liyan didn’t enter the company during its golden years.The global financial crisis struck soon after, and the business took a sharp downturn, plunging into an unprecedented survival crisis. The days his father often recalled-when products sold themselves and customers came with sacks of cash-were long gone. lt was now up to him to find a way to lead the company out of the slump.

In 2017, faced with a wave of staff departures, Zhu Liyan took over the foreign trade department and shouldered the heavy burden of global sales on his own.”My belief was firm at the time only by going out in person could we truly open the door to the international market,” he said.That year, he traveled extensively across Southeast Asia, the Middle East North America, and South America. “lf there was even one customer in a country, l would go.”It was also the year that marked the turnaround of his once poor English skills.”l learned everything from talking to foreign clients-my improvement came through constant communication. lt was just like in my father’s time, when he couldn’t speak standard Mandarin, but learned it bit by bit from dealing with customers”

The company’s efforts to expand overseas finally paid off, breaking through a five-year sales plateau and achieving a major leap in performance.”That year became a key turning point in the development history of Zhiju,” said Zhu Liyan.

From dreaming it, to doing it.

Since 2018, Zhiju Piping’s performance has remained stable, consistently meeting its annual growth targets of 20% to 30%.For Zhu Liyan, after years of navigating foreign markets, his deepest desire is to refocus more on the domestic market.”After visiting so many countries, l truly believe that China’s manufacturing is the best,” he said.

Zhu Liyan noted that pipeline fittings have vast market potential in China.However, in earlier years, Zhiju Piping’s efforts to tap into the domestic market were slow due to limited space and infrastructure. “In July 2023, we officially moved into Haijing District, gaining land and space we can truly call our own,” he said.For Zhiju Piping, the move into a modern facility was not merely about expanding floor space several times over. lt was a strategic upgrade-allowing for more ambitious planning and enabling the company to better showcase its R&D capabilities and advancements in digitalized and data-driven management to customers.

Encouragingly, since relocating to the Haijing District, Zhiju Piping has seen a 30% to 40% increase in output.”With more confidence and stronger capabilities, we’re now doing things we once only dared to imagine,” Zhu Liyan said with pride.As for the company’s future, his determination has only grown stronger.”My father used to say that running a business is like brewing tea-it takes focus and patience,” he shared. “But to me, it’s more like navigating at sea-facing both opportunities and challenges. I hope to keep steering Zhiju forward, riding the waves, and forging ahead with courage.