Hailiang Group: Strive to be the global nonferrous materials intelligent manufacturing "evergreen"
In the continuous casting and rolling coil workshop of Hailiang Co., Ltd., the machine is roaring, and the production is carried out in an orderly manner. In this 40,000-square-meter factory building as wide as a football field, it is difficult to see a single worker even from a high place.
"This is our self-developed low-carbon intelligent fifth-generation continuous casting and rolling coil production line, a few years ago a production line to produce 20,000 tons of copper pipe requires nearly 90 workers, now a production line with a capacity of more than 40,000 tons, only more than 30 workers." Zhu Zhangquan, chairman and general manager of Hailiang Co., Ltd., introduced to the reporter of China Business Times.
From the countryside to the world's top 500, Hailiang Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hailiang Group") has started with copper processing for more than 30 years, adhered to its original intention, rooted in industry, and built Hailiang Co., Ltd. into the world's largest copper pipe and copper rod production and sales enterprises, and its marketing network radiates all over the world. Today, intelligent manufacturing has become the "golden business card" of Hailiang's leading industry.
Intelligent manufacturing has reached a new level
As a leading copper processing enterprise, Hailiang Co., Ltd. not only takes the lead in seizing the development opportunity of intelligent manufacturing in the industry, landing intelligent production lines with independent intellectual property rights, but also continuously achieves self-transcendence in the process.
"The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed to accelerate the construction of a manufacturing power and promote the high-end, intelligent and green development of the manufacturing industry, we are full of confidence, Hailiang has been committed to promoting the intelligent manufacturing of non-ferrous materials, and actively promoting the deep integration of intelligent technology, modern industrial manufacturing processes and non-ferrous metal industries." Wang Lihong, secretary of the party committee and chairman of Hailiang Group Co., Ltd., said.
The low-carbon intelligent fifth-generation continuous casting and rolling coil production line (hereinafter referred to as the "fifth generation production line") seen by the reporter is the well-known intelligent manufacturing achievement of Hailiang Co., Ltd. It has 191 invention patent protections, and won the "China Industrial Oscar" - the 7th China Industry Award Project Award at the end of 2022 with "Research on Low-carbon Intelligent Manufacturing Technology and Equipment of Precision Copper Tube".
"It should be said that the fourth generation of production lines is already a top production line at home and even internationally, but the fourth generation focuses on the production capacity and efficiency of stand-alone equipment, and the fifth generation production line has been upgraded to a more advanced stage, considering the production capacity of the system as a whole, and achieving a high level of informatization, automation and intelligence." Ma Weimin, director of Hailiang Technology Center, excitedly told reporters, "Now many production activities do not require manual operation, labor intensity has dropped significantly, some operations do not even need to press buttons, and the machine can decide the coordination between processes through the program."
In the production workshop, at a glance, the operation of robots, truss robotic arms, and intelligent driving vehicles flows in the clouds, accompanied by a rhythmic roar, and a coil of copper pipes is automatically processed and circulated in one process after another...
At present, the common commodity robots on the market cannot fully meet the production lines independently developed by Hailiang Co., Ltd., and these intelligent production equipment is not simple. Ma Weimin told reporters: "The traditional robot has problems such as large running space and short walking distance, which is difficult to apply to the working scene of the coil production workshop, Hailiang can only overcome many difficulties, design and develop non-standard robots separately, and we have also developed a full set of operation control and online monitoring and display software systems for the production line, so that the production line has the ability of intelligent manufacturing." "
The reporter learned that the fifth generation production line also has significant energy saving and carbon reduction effects, the product yield rate has increased from 89% to 93%, the comprehensive energy consumption per unit product has decreased by 30%, and the comprehensive cost has decreased by 38%.
At present, Hailiang Co., Ltd. is using the fifth generation technology to comprehensively transform and upgrade the original production line. Zhu Zhangquan said that the goal of the transformation is to achieve a precision copper tube production capacity of more than 1.26 million tons, and a global market share of more than 40%.
Seize the opportunities of new energy development
In 2022, focusing on the main business of "copper", Hailiang Group will not only be stable and far-reaching on the road of intelligent manufacturing, but also have the courage to open up new horizons in the field of new energy materials, cut into the copper foil track, and create the core competitiveness of "copper tube + copper foil".
In the process of cooperation, Hailiang Group found that domestic and foreign upstream home appliance enterprises have more or less laid out new energy-related businesses, and keenly captured the new trend of the industry. Based on the diversified advantages of R&D, manufacturing and talents accumulated over the years, Hailiang Group seized the opportunity of new energy development and established Gansu Hailiang New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hailiang New Materials"), investing 8.9 billion yuan to build high-performance copper foil material projects in Lanzhou New District and enter the new energy market.
From the official start of construction on December 16, 2021, to the successful trial production of the first production line in June 2022, to the early start and commissioning of the first phase of the 12,500-ton production line on September 15... Even due to repeated epidemics, supply chain tensions and other factors, the project was running smoothly in less than a year.
Wang Shuguang, chairman of Gansu Hailiang New Energy Materials Co., Ltd., said that this is the "Hailiang speed", which has created an industry record.
"Since October last year, due to the impact of the epidemic, we have implemented the closure operation of the factory for nearly two months, and the workers sleep in the container panel house, overcoming all difficulties to maintain production." Luo Chong, assistant general manager of Gansu Hailiang New Energy Materials Co., Ltd., told reporters excitedly, "The previous recruitment of 300 new employees was delayed in joining the company, and now the factory closure has been canceled, and the employees have arrived, and our capacity expansion is just around the corner."
After the adjustment of the epidemic prevention and control policy, the sales staff of Hailiang New Material began to travel all over the country. Luo Chong introduced that the current orders in East and South China are growing rapidly, and the project frequently receives the production needs of downstream battery manufacturers.
Up to now, Hailiang New Material has the large-scale mass production capacity of 4.5 to 8 micron copper foil, conquered the production technology of 3.5 micron copper foil, and rushed to the new energy track with a high starting point and high standards.
"Now the mainstream market demand for copper foil is still 6 to 8 microns, it is not easy to trial produce 3.5 microns, it is half the thickness of copper foil materials widely used on the market, and the efficiency can be improved by nearly 10% in lithium batteries of the same size." Wang Shuguang said, "In terms of new energy materials, Hailiang's current manufacturing level is ahead of the market, and we will continue to work hard towards extreme thinning."
It is worth mentioning that there is a demand for high tensile and high ductility products in the market. In this regard, Hailiang New Material is further improving the comprehensive performance of products and deeply developing differentiated high-precision and high-value-added products.
At present, Hailiang New Materials has docked with more than 160 downstream battery manufacturers, and established supply and procurement relationships with more than 70 enterprises, accelerating the supply chain system of leading enterprises. Wang Shuguang said that the overall goal of the Lanzhou New District project in the future is to produce 120,000 tons of high-performance lithium battery copper foil and 30,000 tons of high-performance electronic circuit copper foil per year, and strive to become the world's largest lithium battery copper foil monomer production base.
Continue to expand and strengthen the advanced manufacturing industry
Since 2022, in the face of the multi-point epidemic situation and economic downward pressure, Hailiang Group proposed "no layoffs, no salary cuts" and further expanded employment, the total number of employees of the group increased by 5% compared with 2021, more than 1,500 newly recruited personnel with bachelor's degrees, and nearly 400 talents with master's degree or above were introduced, becoming a bright color in the employment winter.
Becoming a Hailiang person, employees' confidence in development and trust in the enterprise are also full of words.
"We are working hard to achieve that the entire production line does not require labor in a few years, and realize the 'black light factory', so that Hailiang's production is more autonomous, the degree of intelligence is improved, and the production cost is lower, so as to contribute to China's manufacturing to maintain international competitiveness." Ma Weimin said.
"On the basis of accelerating the investment, construction and production of domestic production bases, Hailiang New Materials is also actively deploying overseas production bases to match the huge demand for lithium battery materials in overseas markets." Luo Chong said.
Start with copper, live because of copper, thrive because of copper. Hailiang Group focuses on the industrial business without wavering, down-to-earth, does a good job in industry, and does the main business, and has never let Hailiang people lose the way forward.
"The report of the 20th National Congress pointed out that we are deeply encouraged to insist on focusing on the real economy for economic development. Hailiang started with copper processing, and the intelligent manufacturing of non-ferrous materials is our 'family heirloom' and the 'ballast stone' for sustainable development. Wang Lihong believes that adhering to industry and unremitting efforts to expand and strengthen advanced manufacturing is the extremely important strategic direction of Hailiang Group at present and in the future, and is the "big market" and "basic plate" of Hailiang's industrial layout.
The confidence of Hailiang Group comes from the strong leadership of the Party and from the new hope opened by the new journey.
"The Central Economic Work Conference emphasized the effective implementation of the 'two unwavering' and encouraged and supported the development and growth of the private economy and private enterprises. We are deeply heartened and encouraged by the clarification of the role of the Party and the state in the status of the private economy. Wang Lihong said, "The mainland's economy is resilient, has great potential and vitality, and Zhejiang is one of the fastest and most dynamic provinces in the country, which provides Hailiang with more market opportunities and development space, and is also the greatest confidence for our sustainable development."
As Wang Lihong said, Hailiang Group should adhere to pioneering and innovation, embrace opportunities, polish the "golden signboard" of intelligent manufacturing of non-ferrous materials more and more, and contribute a steady stream of Hailiang wisdom and Hailiang power to the construction of a manufacturing power.
Reviewer: Ye Jiayi
American editor: Morning Morning
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