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Sanxiang Metropolis Daily all-media reporter Yang Jiegui correspondent Yi Xu
Perennial deep cultivation of automotive ignition system, "one tendon" to engage in core technology research and development. In March this year, Weichai Torch Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Weichai Torch") was listed on the list of "National Manufacturing Individual Champion Enterprises".
The news came and injected a "shot in the arm" for the company to accelerate its development.
On April 22, a reporter from Sanxiang Metropolis Daily visited and found that this veteran enterprise that has been fighting in the market for 63 years, despite several moves in the capital market, has long focused on segmenting the product market, empowering the industry with scientific and technological innovation achievements, and has jumped from an accessories factory to the first professional spark plug manufacturing enterprise in China and the top three in the world, realizing from "following" to "leading".
The "Hunan Torch" has changed hands several times
The spark plug, commonly known as the fire nozzle, is an important element of the ignition system of a gasoline engine, which can introduce high-voltage electricity into the combustion chamber and make it skip the electrode gap to produce sparks, thereby igniting the combustible mixture in the gas cylinder.
Weichai Torch, formerly known as Zhuzhou Xiang Torch Spark Plug Co., Ltd. Founded in 1961, this long-established state-owned manufacturing company has a glorious history. In 1993, it became one of the first batch of enterprises listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in Hunan Province, with the stock name of "Hunan Torch".
"Zhuzhou Spark Plug Factory had a good reputation at that time, and male colleagues were very popular looking for partners. Zhang Wei, deputy general manager of Weichai Torch, said.
However, the glory of a moment did not really change the fate of the enterprise. Affected by factors such as a rigid management system, a single product structure, and "triangular debts," the "torch" is in danger of being extinguished.
In 1997, "Hunan Torch" carried out the reform of state-owned shares, and introduced Xinjiang Delong as the largest shareholder through the transfer of state-owned shares.
At that time, "Hunan Torch" has become one of the largest manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles and core parts in China, with 35 high-quality enterprises such as Shaanxi Heavy Duty Truck Co., Ltd., Shaanxi Hande Car Co., Ltd., and Zhuzhou Hunan Torch Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
In 2004, Delong collapsed and its assets had to be sold. "Hunan Torch" is recognized as the best qualified one in the "troika" of the Delong system.
In 2005, Weichai Power absorbed and merged with "Hunan Torch".
In 2007, Weichai Power returned to A-shares through share exchange and absorption merger, and "Hunan Torch" terminated its listing and merged into a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weichai Power.
From "following" to "leading"
On April 22, the reporter walked into the intelligent workshop of product assembly located on Hongqi North Road, Zhuzhou, and all aspects ......of feeding, grabbing, assembly, and testing were completed by the intelligent robotic arm independently. Batch after batch of spark plug products are being packed and ready to be shipped around the world.
Peng Yunhui, deputy general manager of Weichai Torch, told reporters that the company will start intelligent transformation from 2023, and the whole production chain of the workshop will be informatized, and the system can collect and monitor the work of each station and carry out real-time measurement. Ensure that every spark plug, every step, every link, and every process can be traced. "In the past, one production line required more than 10 operators, but now one person can operate four production lines. ”
Intelligent transformation to improve production efficiency. In 2023, the company's annual production capacity of spark plugs has reached 250 million, and there are less than 1,000 people involved in spark plug manufacturing. Before 2000, the annual production capacity of 3,000 employees was only about 20 million.
The turnaround came in 2006.
In the face of the gap, living in a corner and working behind closed doors is not the way. At that time, a leading enterprise producing spark plugs in the United States went bankrupt due to poor management, and Weichai Torch seized the opportunity to fully introduce its production equipment and related technologies. The introduction, digestion and absorption have helped Weichai Torch embark on the fast track of technological upgrading, and continuous innovation and breakthroughs on this basis are the keys to Weichai Torch becoming the industry leader.
"Whether it's technology, equipment or processes, we've been iteratively upgrading for generations. Peng Yunhui said.
Weichai Torch, which has tasted the sweetness, has invested heavily in technological innovation and research and development. In recent years, 4% to 5% of sales have been invested in research and development every year, and a national spark plug testing center, a provincial enterprise technology center, an industrial design center, and an engine ignition engineering technology research center have been set up to actively carry out research and development and innovation to achieve product upgrading. Weichai Torch has successively achieved a series of major achievements such as T95 high-performance alumina ceramic insulator, the world's first spark plug insulator secondary grinding equipment, the first 80Mpa spark plug insulator isostatic press in China, the first high-temperature roller kiln and sintering process in China, making up for a number of technical shortcomings in the industry.
"Small accessories" also ended up playing a "big role". At present, Weichai Torch has become a core supplier of key components for domestic new energy vehicle companies, and the market share of its main products is far ahead. The products are also exported to more than 50 countries and regions such as Europe, America and Southeast Asia.
Earlier, Weichai Power Co., Ltd. issued an announcement that it plans to spin off its subsidiary Weichai Torch Technology Co., Ltd. to be listed on the GEM.
Make efforts to develop emerging industries and open up new industrial tracks
Focusing on the production of spark plugs for 63 years, what is little known to the outside world is that Weichai Torch has an unusually rich accumulation and precipitation in the research and development of precious metal materials and new ceramic materials.
Relying on the R&D advantages of precious metal materials and new ceramic materials, Weichai Torch has extended the industry to silicon-based materials such as silicon nitride and zirconia in addition to spark plugs, and fission has expanded a green development path of "new energy-ceramic material integration".
Looking at the world, feet across the hills and ravines. Chen Guangyun, chairman of Weichai Torch, said that the company will continue to deepen the fields of automotive ignition systems, high-end sensors and advanced ceramic materials, give full play to the technology and talent advantages of the company's R&D platform, increase scientific and technological innovation, empower the high-quality development of enterprises, and contribute to the development of new productivity and the construction of a strong country in science and technology. Chen Guangyun looked at the busy intelligent production workshop and said with confidence.