This year, Shanghai Minmetals will celebrate its 60th anniversary. If someone is in his sixties, he may get older and weaker, while for Shanghai Minmetals, it is radiantly blooming. The company's sales network has already covered around 140 countries and regions all over the world with more than 3,000 clients. Established along with the People's Republic of China, Shanghai Minmetals has been through clouds and also enjoyed the sun. So, what makes Shanghai Minmetals become so strong like now? Out of curiosity, reporter from China Fastener Info interviewed Mr. Hu Jian, manager of Shanghai Minmetals Fastener Branch.

On a Brand Building Road

"Established along with the People's Republic of China in 1949, our company sells not only the products. Merely products make us no difference, so our products also include excellent service and reliable reputation. That's the reason why we can survive until now." Mr. Hu also elaborated on "excellent service and reliable reputation". "As for China's current industrial status in the world market, we mostly export labor-intensive and low-end products. The competition between standard parts in accordance with some recognized standard is fierce because the differences between these products is small due to the raw materials and product standards. Apparently, there is no way we can survive until now if we only rely on the difference of products. Like the consumption of private cars, it's just a travel tool that can't make the difference. The difference between them is brand. It will take a long time to build a good brand which needs long-term market recognition, which can't be achieved by the brand itself. Such a good recognition depends on the effort which the company has always been making, from pre-sales service to after-sales service and from problem occurring to problem solving. Only if our clients are satisfied, we will be satisfied. Only if the mass and different clients have long-term satisfaction, we will have the satisfaction of strong competitiveness. What we make our clients satisfy is not only our price, but our service. Our clients' satisfaction depends on the good reputation originating from our long-term satisfactory price and service. With product, service and reputation, Shanghai Minmetals has come to its 60th year and it will continue to move forward."

Rely on strength to wait for the market recovery

"Under the circumstances that the labor-intensive products are the main products, it will take a long time to explore and use the new products and new technologies, which requires not only the company's investment, but also the protection of the national law." This doesn't mean that Shanghai Minmetals ignores product innovation, but it takes measures under the company's stress policy through making analysis according to different problems. In 2009, the business circles are still clouded by the financial crisis. Mr. Hu predicted prudently that, "It will be good if the market can recover in Quarter 3 of 2009. From the current situation, a series of economic policies are made by governments of different countries, which means the financial crisis hasn't reached its bottom yet."

"The sales amount of Shanghai Minmetals for 2008 was over US$ one billion. The company could basically keep its balance between imports and exports. The sales amount of Shanghai Minmetals Fastener Branch for 2008 was US$45 million with all products exported. Affected by drastic decline in international demand in 2009, the sales amount dropped by around 40% compared with the same period of 2008, which led to the drastic decrease in profit. However, with so many clients and experience for years, we have faith in our strength which will help us get through this tough time until the market recovers. Our stress of this year is to continue maintaining the brand image and constantly opening up new markets. Under the circumstances of the current financial crisis, we rely not only on our traditional promotion by our staff to open up the markets, but also websites and other forms of media. The goal of becoming larger, stronger and better will not be affected by the outside world."

In Mr. Hu's interview, we can see the accumulation of Shanghai Minmetals from these simply answers to these simply questions: build the brand with strength and use the brand to build up strength.

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