Chenguang Technology wants to produce plant extracts
Technological innovation, forPlant extractsIndustry plugs into the wings of soaring
- Interview with Lu Qingguo, Deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and Chairperson of Chenguang Biotechnology Group
Our reporter Liu Lianjun
Starting from the acquisition of a small pigment factory on the verge of bankruptcy, it has grown into a leader in the natural pigment industry; from a single product of chili red to a series of plant active ingredient extraction products, lutein, red rice red pigment, Chenguang has created several world firsts; from running and running to leading, Chenguang has placed itself at the forefront of the trend of emerging industries...
Along the way, Chenguang chairperson Lu Qingguo felt deeply: "Without technological innovation, Chenguang would not be today. Only by insisting on technological innovation can we run out of the'acceleration 'of innovation. The government work report talks about technological innovation at great length, reflecting the importance of technological innovation. As one of the main bodies of the innovation tide, I am encouraged and confident after listening."
Strive to add a world-class product every year
Twenty years ago, Lu Qingguo, then the director of the Quzhou County Hardware Factory in Handan City, was ordered to take over a small pigment factory in the county that was on the verge of bankruptcy. There were no resources, no transportation, no market, no talents, no technology, no capital and other advantages, and the business opportunities that outsiders did not like, Lu Qingguo got into it headlong: starting with a single product of red pigment extraction from chili peppers, and gradually turning to natural pigment extraction.
"Pigment extraction is highly dependent on technology. Although I am a layman, I believe that as long as we make full use of technological innovation, we can seize market dominance." Lu Qingguo said that with a drive to concede defeat, they first improved the process, technology and equipment of existing products, and repeated research and development and testing to overcome the world's problems such as pepper extract with handle. They built the world's first continuous and large-scale pepper simultaneous extraction and efficient separation production line, and solved the core technical problems of excessive product hazards that have plagued the industry for many years.
Chenguang tasted the sweetness brought by technological innovation. The annual output of capsaicin has increased from three or four tons to more than 4,000 tons, which has increased the share of Chinese capsaicin in the international market from less than 2% to more than 80%. Chenguang accounted for 50% of the share and became the "leader" of capsaicin, creating the first world first. Subsequently, the output of capsaicin also achieved the world's first.
"If we want to go far, we must constantly develop new products and constantly look for new economic growth points." Lu Qingguo said that Chenguang has focused on the field of natural plant extracts, from single chili red to natural pigments, spice extracts, nutritional medicinal extracts and other four categories of dozens of varieties of research and development. In 2015, lutein once again refreshed its innovative achievements, and its total production ranked among the world's largest.
Today, lycopene has become a new profit growth point for Chenguang, and its production can achieve zero cost. It is one of the next products targeted by Chenguang Bio to become the world's first. "New technologies bring new opportunities, and we must strive to add a world's first product every year to achieve an annual output value of over 10 billion as soon as possible," Lu Qingguo said.
Break through geographical and talent constraints to allocate global competitive resources
Standing at the top of the industry, Lu Qingguo has a broader perspective, breaking through geographical and talent constraints, and he plans the development of enterprises and industrial layout at a global level.
Local pepper raw materials could not meet the production needs, so Lu Qingguo built a factory in Xinjiang, which increased the local pepper planting area from 50,000 mu to 600,000 mu, forming a processing capacity of 100,000 tons of pepper, 100,000 tons of chrysanthemum and 200,000 tons of cottonseed. Set up two subsidiaries in India, with an annual output of 2,000 tons of capsicum essence and 3,000 tons of marigold granules respectively. While creating its own benefits, it also contributes to the central "Belt and Road Initiative". This year, it is planned to build a raw material base in Zambia to process lutein locally.
In addition to allocating production resources globally, Lu Qingguo also plans to allocate human resources. "Talent is the key for enterprises to enhance their core competitiveness." Lu Qingguo said that in order to attract more experts, especially returnees, Chenguang is planning to create the world's highest level R & D center, the most authoritative testing center, and the most advanced and complete pilot test center in the plant extraction industry. Through the construction of these'three centers', domestic and foreign experts will be attracted to the platform, and the platform will be used to gather and integrate talent resources from all over the world.
"We can help experts from all over the world in the industry to apply for patents, apply for scientific and technological projects, apply for scientific and technological awards, etc. As much as possible, these top professionals can concentrate on scientific research and don't have to worry about trifles." Lu Qingguo said that an annual international plant extraction seminar is held to provide experts with product Research & Development pilot testing, industrialization, sales and other services.
"Quzhou County does not have the excellent living conditions and convenient transportation in the city, but it has attracted more than 70 high-level talents such as doctors and masters." Lu Qingguo said proudly that this is inseparable from Chenguang's establishment of a good platform for the growth of employees. They spend millions of yuan each year on innovation reward funds to reward employees for scientific and technological innovation projects and technological progress achievements. At Chenguang, every scientific researcher has room for continuous improvement, and everyone's value can be brought into full play.
Support the establishment of a pilot center and build a "bridge" for the integration of industry, education and research
An important part of technological innovation is the development of new products. In the process of developing new products, Chenguang adopts the laboratory economy model and explores the "three-step" model of laboratory, pilot test and large-scale production. For products with long process chains, on the basis of "three-step", it is further refined into the "five-step" model of laboratory small test, small pilot test, large pilot test, mass production and large-scale production to ensure the success rate of product development.
In the "three-step" and "five-step" process research and development model, the pilot test is the key to the transformation of R & D results. "At present, the conversion rate of domestic scientific and technological achievements is not high, and the main problem lies in the lack of pilot test conditions." Lu Qingguo said that enterprises need technological achievements and rely on innovation to drive sustainable development; scientific research institutes or institutions of higher learning hope that the achievements can be transformed, but because of the connection between the two problems, it seriously restricts the integration of production, education and research and the transformation of achievements.
After years of scientific and technological innovation practice, Chenguang has accumulated a set of its own innovation model of combining production, education and research, and has also achieved many scientific research results. The capsicum red and lycopene projects have won two national science and technology progress awards, more than 100 national invention patents, 4 foreign PCT patents, and established a nationally recognized enterprise technology center, a national and local joint engineering laboratory, and a key laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture. Hebei Province Natural Pigment Engineering Technology Center and other scientific research platforms have participated in the 12th Five-Year Plan and 13th Five-Year National Major Science and Technology Innovation Projects, hosted national-level international cooperation projects, etc., and were listed by the Hebei Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security as the only private enterprise high-tech evaluation pilot unit in the province.
Lu Qingguo particularly suggested: "The state should pay attention to the role of pilot test centers in the process of industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, and make great efforts to support enterprises to set up a number of high-level pilot test centers, build" bridges "for the integration of industry, education and research, and open up the broken road for the transformation and industrialization of production, learning and research achievements."
"Build the commanding heights of the plant extract industry and make China's plant extract industry a world leader." For future development, Lu Qingguo firmly believes that to achieve high-quality development, we will unswervingly take the road of innovation.
