Beijing, March 29 (Xinhua News Agency) - On March 29, the Xinhua Daily Telegraph published a report titled "Comprehensive transformation and upgrading from" price competition "to" technology competition "- the traditional manufacturing industry here is revitalizing".

One zipper, two chain straps, and a small zipper are associated with 14 first level disciplines and 44 second level disciplines.

Having been engaged in this industry for more than 30 years, Fujian Xunxing Zipper Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Xunxing Zipper") has found that its understanding of zippers has only just begun. From materials, structure, equipment, functions... hundreds of processes, innovation and knowledge are everywhere, and a new journey is just beginning.

Jinjiang is an important private economic center in China. Starting from the family workshops at the beginning of the reform and opening up, Jinjiang people have adhered to traditional industries with fierce market competition such as textiles, shoes and clothing, food, and building materials. They have expanded the market, improved quality, and created brands... creating two industrial clusters worth over 100 billion yuan in textiles and shoes and clothing, and five industrial clusters worth over 10 billion yuan in food, ceramics, and other industries.

In recent years, in the face of multiple impacts from domestic and international markets, the traditional manufacturing industry is undergoing comprehensive and profound transformation and upgrading through innovation driven and technology empowerment, and thus shining with new vitality. This is the hot scene that journalists have recently experienced while visiting Jinjiang.

Tourists visit Anping Bridge, an ancient stone bridge on Jinjiang River (photographed on July 8, 2021). Photographed by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Kehong

Small items, big innovations

Zippers that can prevent mosquito bites, zippers that can reflect light in dark environments... In the product exhibition hall of Xunxing zippers, products with different application scenarios and highlights are dazzling.

A small pull head can have up to 6 components, each of which requires 5 different materials to meet different performance requirements such as strength and wear resistance. From brass, zinc alloy, stainless steel to polymer materials, more and more materials are being used in zipper production to meet the different functional needs of consumers, "said Zhang Huawei, the research department manager of Xunxing Zipper R&D Center.

A highly sought after invisible zipper in the market, with a daily production capacity of 2 million pieces, to ensure stable quality, previously relying on visual inspection of each piece, this job alone required 80 people to be arranged on a 24-hour shift.

This model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain, "Zhang Tian, the head of the Xunxing zipper waterless dyeing project, told reporters. In recent years, the company has invested a lot of costs in the transformation of intelligent production lines, introduced visual recognition systems, 35 million pixel cameras for automatic detection, reduced manpower by more than 80%, and greatly improved accuracy.

Material application, die-casting process, equipment intelligence, dyeing and finishing technology... A small zipper involves 108 processes, all of which contain innovative points. Zhang Tian said, "We increasingly feel that behind the small zipper, there is a profound knowledge and endless innovation. In recent years, the company has invested tens of millions of yuan in research and development expenses annually, and this year it is expected to reach over 70 million yuan

Small items, big innovations! A zipper, a piece of bread, a piece of tissue, a pair of shoes... Innovation has given new vitality to these livelihood products and ushered in a broader market in the wave of consumer upgrading.

As one of the "Political base" of Jinjiang industry, the "domestic goods craze" is in the ascendant