48 years working experience in hardware industry, this boss is a "tech enthusiast"
Danzao town, Nanhai, Foshan City, Guangdong. June 18, 2024, 16:40

New by Southern Metropolis Daily

48 years working experience in hardware industry,
Developed over 200 products.
Owns more than 60 patents.
Danzao old master craftsmen.
Hu Shimin, chairman of Foshan City Nanhai Shengtong Hardware Industry Co., Ltd.

Diligently pursue and forge the dream of a craftsman.

From treating the hardware factory as a “playground” in childhood to becoming a leader in the Danzao hardware industry, Hu Shimian, chairman of Foshan Shengtong Hardware Industrial Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shengtong Hardware”), has a life trajectory closely linked to mechanical molds. After graduating from junior high school, Hu Shimian officially joined the hardware mold industry.From the original hardware, barbecue grills to plastic products, he has always been at the forefront of technological innovation.In 48 years in the industry, he has developed more than 200 products, nearly 60 production equipment, and more than 60 patents. He has cultivated talents all over the industry, promoting Danzao Hardware to the world. “Everyone calls me the boss, so it's better to call me the'technical guy‘. I'm happier.“When it comes to technology research and development, 65-year-old Hu Shimian has light in his eyes. He said: "There is innovation and progress every day, technological improvement is endless."

Bonding with machinery. From a technical master to a hardware boss

When he was a child, Hu Shimin often played in the hardware factory where his father worked. The rows of molds in the factory made him develop a strong interest in this industry. In 1976, when he was less than 17 years old, he entered Xiaotang Machinery Factory and became a planer and ironworker on the production line.

With his love for machinery and unremitting learning, he gradually emerged in the industry. Two years later, he came to a township enterprise in Danzao and became a technical master of small hardware, and began to take charge of designing molds for the factory.

In the early 1980s, under the loose policies of "decentralization reform" and "pioneering and experimenting first" of the state, province, and city, Nanhai created a social atmosphere of "whoever gets rich first is glorious" and "learning from the rich, competing with the rich, and catching up with the rich", encouraging all entities to vigorously develop industry. Facing this opportunity, Hu Shimin also gave up his stable job and contracted a factory with friends, starting his entrepreneurial journey. Soon after, he started his own business and opened his own factory, mainly producing hardware buttons, door and window accessories, etc.

"At that time, I was young and dared to strive." Recalling the years when the factory was just established, Hu Shimin still has a deep impression. Technology, business, and management were all contracted by him alone. During the day, he went to surrounding cities such as Guangzhou to meet customers and get orders. After a busy day and returning to the factory, he began to develop products. "At that time, there was only one thing on my mind, that is, I was always thinking about how to make good molds and products." Hu Shimin said.

With his enterprising spirit and excellent product quality, Hu Shimin quickly occupied a place in the fierce market competition. In 1990, there were only 30 people in the factory, but the annual output value reached 1 million yuan. Hu Shimin also played a positive exemplary role for local villagers to start their own businesses.

Keep the industry sensitive The first "space furnace” has been popular so far

As competition in the small hardware industry became increasingly fierce, Hu Shimin gradually realized the urgency of transformation.

In the 1990s, barbecue grills gradually became popular abroad. Hu Shimin quickly seized this business opportunity and began to take processing orders for barbecue grills.

In 1999, a barbecue grill enterprise in Guangzhou was about to dissolve due to business problems. After learning this news, Hu Shimin immediately rushed to the scene for negotiation. He quickly took over the production equipment of the factory and hired the factory's technical workers to start developing the barbecue grill business.

Starting a business in a different field is not easy, and the start of a new enterprise is particularly important. "To gain a firm foothold in the barbecue grill industry, the most important thing is to be able to make good products." Soon, through a friend's introduction, Hu Shimin got his first barbecue grill order: a German customer wanted to order 600,000 sets of barbecue grills.

However, it is not easy to complete this order smoothly. The customer has very high requirements on the stretching height and precision of the product. In order to complete the order within the specified time, he and his team members did not have a complete sleep for more than 100 hours. They continuously improved product details according to customer needs and finally won customer trust with excellent product quality. The "space oven" they pioneered has been popular ever since.

In Hu Shimin's opinion, the stretching height of molds, the fit degree of molds, and the quality of stretched products are the key elements for maintaining the industry status in the barbecue grill industry. In addition, it is also necessary to improve the standardization degree of barbecue grill accessories. While continuously optimizing functions, keeping the size unchanged can effectively improve the adaptability of accessories and help enterprises reduce costs and increase efficiency. But it is not easy to ensure the precision and fit degree of molds. According to Hu Shimin's statistics, the company has invested more than 5 million yuan in destructive testing in this regard.

While continuously optimizing barbecue grill products, Shengtong Hardware is also constantly improving the product ecosystem. In 2013, Hu Shimin founded Foshan Jinhang Hardware and Plastic Factory, which specializes in manufacturing barbecue grill supporting products. This also makes Shengtong Hardware's barbecue grills more competitive, and the product complaint rate has dropped to 0, setting a record.

In his 48 years working experience, he has developed nearly 60 models of production equipment by himself

Facing the increasingly fierce competitive environment, Hu Shimin believes that the most crucial thing is to improve product quality. "In the tide of the times, everyone is facing difficulties and challenges. What one should do is to keep learning, changing, and adapting until old age in order to keep up with the social pace and not be abandoned by the times."

To improve production efficiency and product quality, Hu Shimin began to study automated production in 1986, optimizing production procedures such as stamping, stretching, and hemming, effectively saving labor costs and greatly reducing work-related accidents.

Starting automation early also made Hu Shimin one of the first people to taste the "sweetness" of technology. In 1986, a customer wanted to order a batch of "201" buttons. Looking for hardware manufacturers all around, none could take on the order. Later, they found Hu Shimin. Through semi-automated production equipment, mass production was achieved, and the stability of product quality could be guaranteed, and the order was successfully completed.

Moreover, the production equipment developed by Hu Shimin around product needs not only has a high technical content but is also convenient to operate and easy to use. Even non-technical personnel can use, produce, and maintain it. In his own words, it is: "We must create the highest efficiency with the lowest cost so that our enterprise can survive."

According to statistics, in his 48 years in hardware industry, Hu Shimin has developed more than 200 products and about 60 models of production equipment. He can be said to be a very productive "tech guru". Through the use of semi-automated equipment, currently, one employee of Shengtong Hardware can undertake the work of 5-6 people in the past. One machine can perform seven processes. The number of people at Shengtong Hardware has also decreased from more than 500 at its peak to more than 100 now, and the per capita output value has increased significantly. Hu Shimin has also cultivated a research and development team among the experienced and senior front-line workers and has cultivated many talents for society and the industry.

Although nearly seventy years old, Hu Shimin is almost on duty all year round. He appears in the workshop without fail every day, inspects molds, operates production lines, and often discusses technical issues with his apprentices and organizes technicians to have a "brainstorming". He said, "I only have two hobbies, one is engaging in technology, and the other is running a factory."