The printing industry in Keqiao once enjoyed a golden era, where a printing paper costing only 1.5 yuan could be reused 5 to 8 times, with the first print covering all costs. But three decades later, this 'bonanza' has been muddied by overexpansion and homogenized competition. While many factories are trapped in price wars, one family-run business, founded in 1990, has carved a different path through smart retrofitting, global expansion, and patent barriers.
From 'Money Printing' to Smart Manufacturing: Rewriting the Logic of Capacity
The history of Shaoxing Hongxin Printing mirrors Keqiao's printing industry evolution from wild growth to precision. In 1993, Chen Biao's parents seized the reform-era opportunity to found the factory, and by 1996, its assets had surpassed one million yuan. Back then, the 'good wine needs no bush' model reflected a seller's market.
The turning point came in 2006, when Chen Biao took over and built a new factory spanning over 16,000 square meters. But this was not mere expansion. He recognized the industry had moved beyond the extensive growth phase. The key move was smart retrofitting: previously, a 10-hour shift could only print 8,000 meters of fabric; after introducing digital and intelligent equipment, production efficiency increased severalfold. This 'precision investment, quality and efficiency improvement' approach avoided the inventory and capital risks of blind expansion.
The Customization Code of 90% Exports: From Selling Fabric to Selling Solutions
Unlike many peers focused on the domestic market, Hongxin Printing exports 90% of its products to South America, the Middle East, and Africa. This high export ratio forces the company to develop strong market adaptability.
The team offers differentiated solutions: South American markets prefer simple, cool stone-textured fabrics, while the Middle East favors high-saturation dark prints. This 'one region, one strategy' approach has become a core competitive advantage. Notably, the company independently develops 1,000 to 2,000 new patterns annually, meaning it doesn't just take orders but proactively offers 'fabric solutions' to global clients.
AI Is Not a Panacea: The Boundaries and Implementation of Digital Tools
Chen Biao's attitude toward AI tools is representative of the industry. He highly values the 'AI Cloth' mini-program launched by the China Textile City Group, which uses a 'fabric visual creation' function to compress the traditional lengthy sampling process into uploading a single image, generating realistic fabric textures and model-wearing effects. This drastically shortens the development cycle and improves order conversion rates.
However, he also clearly defines AI's limits: 'AI is an efficient design assistant, but core creativity still requires the artisan's touch.' AI-generated drafts still need manual selection and professional color optimization to meet global clients' personalized needs. This insight highlights a common industry issue: digital tools solve efficiency problems but cannot replace deep market understanding and aesthetic judgment.
The Only Way Out of 'Involution': Patent Barriers and an Industrial Ecosystem
Facing low-price homogenized competition, Hongxin Printing has chosen a high-investment, high-barrier route. The company has established a core strategy of 'creating competitive advantages through patented technologies.' Through industry-academia collaboration, it develops scarce functional printing patents, such as cooling and anti-radiation fabrics, integrating functional technologies with traditional printing to increase the profit margin per meter.
More forward-looking is its 'industrial park closed-loop' concept. The plan is to revitalize idle park resources and attract upstream and downstream supporting enterprises, such as printing and laminating, to form an ecosystem sharing raw materials, equipment, and customers. This can significantly reduce logistics and communication costs while retaining the entire industry chain's profits within the park, creating a mutually beneficial community.