【Company Profile】
Shandong Dazhan Nanomaterials Co., Ltd. is a scientific and technological innovation enterprise that has devoted itself to the innovative research and development, production and application development of carbon nanomaterials for many years. It is a national-level “little giant” enterprise specializing in special and new products, a benchmark enterprise of Shandong Province’s gazelle, and a single champion of Shandong Province’s manufacturing industry. At present, the company’s products are widely used in new energy vehicles, 5G, high-tech consumer electronics, advanced manufacturing and other fields. Its main products, carbon nanotubes and graphene, rank among the top in the global market share. The company is committed to promoting high-quality development, creating a new material research and development vane, and enhancing the competitiveness of technology-based enterprises.
【Introduction】
The times are changing, and the industry is developing endlessly. Only when innovation in the field of materials is strongly coupled with innovation in the application-end industry, and efficient integration and two-way pull can new kinetic energy flow and burst out. Innovation in the field of new materials affects the changes in the industrial structure, and the energy released is beyond imagination. Shandong Dazhan Nanomaterials Co., Ltd. is in a strategic emerging industry, and it is a benchmark sample of Shandong private enterprises to “do it well and do it well”, and it has burst out with strong explosive power and flexibility in the field of new materials. Focusing on the essence of business operations, it is an unbeatable strategy based on the industry.
Wang Yuhong told us about the company’s entrepreneurial opportunities, development history, main products and their application fields at a leisurely pace. The company’s core products – carbon nanotubes and graphene, they play a vital role in the production of new energy batteries. In order to cater to the booming development of the new energy industry, the provincial key project of the company to produce 3,000 tons of new carbon nanomaterials and their deep processing projects are being carried out in an orderly manner, striving to inject strong impetus into the high-quality development of strategic emerging industries in my country. With our determination to pursue excellence and create top products, we firmly believe that the company will occupy an important place in the field of new energy batteries.
Carbon nanotubes are like bright pearls in the field of science and technology, including brother materials fullerene, carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc. Among them, carbon nanotubes and graphene are the long-term focus of Dazhan. The magical material of carbon nanotubes can be traced back to 1991, when Japanese scientist Sumio Iijima first discovered it under a transmission electron microscope. Back in 2011, Chairman Li Yan and a group of like-minded partners worked together to establish Dazhan Nanomaterials Co., Ltd. They are committed to the research and development, production, manufacturing and application promotion of low-dimensional carbon nanotube related technologies. From 2011 to 2015, they always focused on product development, equipment transformation and process verification. Although the process was full of twists and turns and hardships, they never gave up and made great efforts for the industrialization and commercialization of science and technology.
Despite the huge initial investment, there was no obvious return, and the opportunity to realize cash was also tested. However, the company’s leaders were determined to do it, believing that everything requires time and patience to cultivate. With the correct prediction of the general direction, the fields of new energy and polymer materials began to usher in breakthroughs in 2015. With the rapid expansion of the lithium battery market, carbon nanotubes and graphene also rose. Our products, as conductive agents in lithium battery materials, such as multi-walled tubes, oligo-walled tubes, single-walled tube powders and downstream application slurries, have shown strong competitiveness in the market.
01
R&D innovation builds core competitiveness, industry research and analysis provides forward-looking business insights
Carbontech: R&D innovation is the “engine” of corporate value creation. How does the company focus on carbon nanomaterial R&D innovation to maintain its core competitiveness and market leadership?
R&D Director of Dazhan: Regarding the two major issues of R&D innovation and technical barriers, carbon nanotubes, as a cutting-edge nanocarbon material, have the distinctive characteristics of high-tech products. Its R&D work is mainly focused on two directions: the R&D of powder preparation technology and the R&D of its application technology. The R&D of powder preparation technology is like the trunk of a big tree, which carries the cornerstone of nanomaterial technology. Through our unremitting efforts, we have successfully developed five generations of powder products, which have been iteratively upgraded with the progress of the industry.
The research and development of applied technologies is like the lush leaves of a tree, extending horizontally and touching all fields. We provide diversified solutions for different fields and directions. Carbon nanotubes or graphene are like industrial “MSG”. They can help the rapid development of many industrial fields and inject new vitality into industrial development. They can help us break through the downstream of many industrial fields and accurately solve the pain points of downstream demand.
Carbontech: What is the current status of the carbon nanotube industry, market demand, growth rate, competition pattern, and market space? What are the hot technology focuses?
R&D Director of Dazhan: The bottleneck of carbon nanotube production capacity has long gone. China’s manufacturing industry has risen, just like the swallows that once flew into the halls of the rich and powerful, and now have flown into the homes of ordinary people. The market and technology have evolved together, and the iteration of technology is more driven by new market demands. This on-demand customization model has not only promoted the prosperity of the market, but also provided a continuous driving force for technological progress.
However, like other industries, this industry is also facing the problem of oversupply of low-end products and insufficient production capacity of high-end products. Although China is in a leading position in the field of global industrial technology, there is still a certain imbalance in the product structure. This phenomenon of insufficient supply of high-end products reflects that we still have to make breakthroughs in some key areas.
From a global perspective, the shortage of high-end products is a common phenomenon. In the competitive landscape, China has shown strong growth momentum and a high market share. This is not only a reflection of our country’s technological strength, but also an objective reflection of market demand. In the future, we are confident that we will make greater contributions to the progress of the global industrial technology field by continuously optimizing the product structure and strengthening technological innovation.
02
Differentiated competition strategies help enterprises stand out, and the transformation of industry, academia and research promotes industrialization
Carbontech: The carbon nanotube market has produced many outstanding companies such as Tiannai Technology, Defang Nano, Sanshun Nano, Dow Technology, and Jiyue Nano. In the fierce competition in the industry, how do you develop a differentiated and innovative business strategy to stand out in the market?
R&D Director of Dazhan: Compared with other players in the same industry, we have unique competitive advantages. Since its establishment, Dazhan Technology has always adhered to its original aspirations, worked hard, and never changed its track easily. It is this kind of focus and persistence that has enabled us to accumulate core competitiveness that is difficult to replicate in the industry. For example, in the production and sales of large-scale multi-wall tubes, we are firmly in the forefront of the industry, with both production and sales ranking among the best. Globally, our multi-wall tube products have extremely high cost-effectiveness and competitiveness.
In addition, we always maintain an open and inclusive attitude and actively expand cooperation in multiple fields. In the field of polymer engineering plastics, we have performed very well, thanks to our keen insight into industry trends and forward-looking layout. The company insists on not blindly following the trend, and follows a complete closed-loop process of early planning, mid-term exploration, and late marketization, forming a unique corporate strategy.
Carbontech: Scientific research is the early engine that drives the development of the industry. What measures has Shandong Dazhan taken to focus on scientific research transformation, industry-university-research integration, and help industrialization to land quickly? What are the technical difficulties in realizing the industrialization and large-scale commercialization of carbon nanotubes?
R&D Director of Dazhan: Technology is the core driving force of high-tech enterprises, and its importance is self-evident. The foundation of technology lies in talent. It is also crucial to provide fertile soil for talent cultivation. From the perspective of the enterprise, this requires us to form a set of linkage mechanisms with talent as the cornerstone, system as the guarantee, and execution as the driving force to ensure that the enterprise always maintains innovation that keeps pace with the times and breaks through the difficulties of industrialization and commercialization.
First of all, a deep understanding of the industry is crucial. We need to fully understand the development laws of the industry and grasp its key elements, so that we can be invincible in the fierce market competition.
Secondly, the timing of technology incubation is also crucial. Only when the production factors of the entire upstream and downstream of the industrial chain reach the right level can the birth of technology be just right, and at this time, the timing of commercialization and marketization can be mature. This is like choosing the right season and soil for sowing to ensure the growth and harvest of seeds.
In addition, a deep understanding of the industry is also indispensable. We need to keep an eye on the development trends of the industry and understand the changes in the market so as to adjust strategies and policies in time to maintain the competitive advantage of the enterprise.
Finally, the organic linkage of various effective production resources is also crucial. We need to effectively integrate these resources to provide sufficient nutrients and support for the birth and growth of technology. This is like providing seeds with sufficient sunlight, water and fertilizer to ensure their thriving growth.
In short, the soil for the birth of technology, keen judgment, deep understanding of technology and industry, and the fit in multiple aspects are all key elements for nurturing the space for long-termism. Only when these factors interact and promote each other can we ensure that enterprises maintain their leading position in the fierce market competition and achieve sustainable development.
03
Explore downstream market applications and focus on building a talent team
Carbontech: Downstream demand drives the development of the industry. What is the downstream application market of carbon nanomaterials like and how to develop it? To explore more and larger application scenarios of carbon nanomaterials.
R&D Director of Dazhan: In the field of technology, carbon nanomaterials are cutting-edge technologies, and their applications are closely linked to market demand. Market demand is like a magnet, attracting continuous innovation and evolution of technology. So, what is the downstream application market of carbon nanomaterials? How can we dig deeper into its broader application scenarios and promote the practical application of technology by capturing market demand?
To understand the application technology of carbon nanomaterials, we might as well compare it to a towering tree. The leaves of this tree are various unique application technologies, and each leaf represents a different downstream market development direction. This process needs to be carried out in stages, with careful allocation of resources and close integration with the actual situation of the enterprise itself.
Take the apple tree as an example. From seed germination to green fruit to ripe red apples, not all stages are suitable for picking. We must wait patiently for the key moment of downstream application development, which is the best entry point. In addition, to expand the application scenarios of carbon nanomaterials, upstream and downstream industries need to work closely together to grasp the changes in demand in the subdivided industries. By capturing these demand information, we can formulate strategies more targetedly, provide strong support for scientific research and R&D, and promote the rapid development of carbon nanomaterial technology.
Carbontech: The smooth development of an enterprise is inseparable from the team behind it. How is Shandong Dazhan’s talent team currently configured and how is its commercialization strategy constructed?
R&D Director of Dazhan: Returning to the humanistic spirit, scientific research talents and other types of talents are the core driving force for enterprise development. Adhering to the strategy of “strengthening the enterprise with talents”, Shandong Dazhan meticulously builds a talent echelon from the front-end of R&D to the middle-end of production to the back-end of sales, builds commercial thinking, and implements talent strategies. In recent years, the company has achieved true “leap-forward development”. The driving force behind this comes from the company’s emphasis on innovative talent mechanisms and its continued efforts to attract, cultivate, and motivate talents. We have built a top team of professional and technical talents. Not only do we produce major research and development results every year, but we also implement new projects, which significantly enhances the company’s competitiveness and development potential.
In terms of talent team building, we insist on taking the core backbone as the leader, focusing on the reserve and empowerment of talents, and at the same time focusing on the management and integration of talents. Our talent team includes both self-cultivated and introduced talents, as well as those parachuted in from other fields. For example, at the management level, we introduce professional managers as senior executives; at the scientific research level, we cooperate with universities and scientific research institutions to deliver professional talents; in terms of talent reserve, we are always ready to fill the gap and ensure the continuity and stability of talents. Especially for key talents, we carry out customized training according to actual needs, establish a delivery channel that combines production, learning and research with universities, and provide a solid talent reserve for the long-term development of the enterprise. People-oriented, talents make enterprises prosperous. Shandong Dazhan will continue to deepen the talent strategy, optimize the structure of the talent team, stimulate the innovative vitality of talents, and provide strong guarantees for the sustainable development of the enterprise and the improvement of its industry status.
