Program fosters SME expansion, promotes communications

Weifang Litro among companies to benefit from government support, Yuan Shenggao reports.

Nearly 40 high-growth companies in the Weifang Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone have been offered opportunities to learn from leading local companies and industrial experts, through an event named "Big Hands Hold Small Hands" organized by the local authority in August.

In this one-day event, senior managers visited heavy-truck and components developer and manufacturer Weichai Power to learn how to manage business more effectively, and smart equipment development giant Goertek to learn more about artificial intelligence.

Three industrial design experts were also available to provide tailor-made suggestions to companies.

"The event provides encouragement and impetus for us. We are confident we will now achieve better results in the zone," said Zhang Changli, deputy general manager of Shandong Yinlun Heat Exchange System.

Wang Zhende, deputy director of the industrial information office of the zone's economic development bureau, said that the program would promote communications between companies and help small and medium-sized enterprises with high potential expand their operations.

It will also help the zone to cultivate an atmosphere in which businesses are keen to acquire new knowledge, compared with their competitors, chase industrial leaders and have a willingness to overtake them.

In recent years, the zone has been committed to upgrading its business environment.

Weifang Litro Electrical Technology is one of the beneficiaries of the zone's efforts. Litro, established in 2010, independently developed a multipoint fuel injection system in 2015 and broke the monopoly of foreign businesses in the field in China, according to the company. Its success also secured it a leading position in the development of natural gas combustion injection systems in recent years.

However, at the very beginning, the company experienced some problems in selling its products.

"Many things were better for us than for foreign products. For instance, our costs were only one-fifth that of imported products. However, we encountered problems in promoting our products to new clients at the very beginning," said Wang Xiuqiang, chief engineer of Litro.

"Only some small companies in small cities tried our products. Large companies did not want to risk failure."

After identifying Litro's bottlenecks, the zone facilitated the manufacturer to contact Weichai Power, which was significant to help Litro to win Weichai's orders with its premium products.

This year, the zone has undertaken a series of measures to support high-growth businesses. It established a business evaluation system to ensure businesses get more support if necessary.

Shandong Cameron Petroleum Equipment, a ball valve supplier in the zone, had been experiencing limited production capacity and space in recent years. The company was offered a long-term tenancy of a new plant, funded by the government, to solve its production capacity problems.

"If businesses have any requests, the zone will provide support policies to help them. Companies need only to focus on development and production," said Sun Wenfeng, director of the zone's economic development bureau.

Sun said the zone will continue providing premium services and promoting communications among the small high-tech companies.

Companies with technology, talented people or unique advantages will enjoy more support, he added.

Yang Shichao contributed to this story.

(China Daily 10/16/2018 page12)