At the beginning of the year, everything gets a fresh start! On January 31, 2019, LandGlass held its New Year Party under the theme of “Unity & Innovation in 2019”. Mr. Zhao Yan, the Chairman and General Manager of LandGlass delivered a passionate New Year speech to all company staff and many partners present at the meeting. The following are excerpts from Mr. Zhao’s New Year speech:

Looking back at the past year, 2018 was a year that we overcame many obstacles to forge forward! The trade war between China and the United States added many uncertainties to the global economic and trade activities. In the meantime, the further deepening of supply-side structural reform nationwide and the continuous hit by the environmental protection “storms” led to the new low of domestic economic growth. Both domestic and international environments are undergoing significant and profound changes. Under the circumstances, our company was also exposed to this unprecedented pressure.

However, through the joint efforts of hundreds of employees around the world, our company achieved very bright results in 2018, advancing our work to a new level.  In this year, the orders for our vacuum insulated glass soared. Our manufacturing facilities ran 24 hours a day to meet the market demand; this year, we kept up with the market change.  The R&D, manufacturing, and sales of special glass tempering equipment, C+ ConeBendTM and Reversed Bent glass tempering furnaces represent the highest level of industry development; in this year, we successfully took the first step to use modular, digital, automated, and intelligent approach to launch the digital transformation of LandGlass, starting the digital era of LandGlass; in this year, we deepened our cooperation with domestic and foreign intellectual property institutions to optimize the company’s IP portfolio. We focused on enhancing patent quality and further improving the company’s IP management system throughout the entire process covering R&D, manufacturing, and commissioning; in this year, the company determined the key direction of scientific and technological development: to create flagship products, IoT, intelligent manufacturing, integration of information technology and industrialization. We also launched the science and technology innovation talents training program and strove to establish an ecosystem for scientific and technological innovation; in this year, other than making breakthroughs in a number of business lines, the company made it clear of the corporate development strategy and took its competency and management skills to a new level. In short, it was a year full of accomplishments with firm footsteps!

Looking into 2019, it will be a year full of hopes and challenges! In the future, while the internal and external uncertainties will continue overlapping, economic pessimism is expected to comeback. Global trade war remains the number one risk that may cause significant divergence in global economic recovery. While Europe and Japan are experiencing sluggish economic growth, some emerging economies are facing debt distress and currency exchange crisis. As a company developing in the global mainstream market for several decades, it is a challenge and also an opportunity for LandGlass. Globalization is the inevitable direction for the future sustainable development of LandGlass. We must strengthen our belief and make unremitting efforts to further accelerate our global presence. Looking back at home, we shall keep a watchful eye on the strategic opportunities that may emerge in the industry reform, consumption upgrading, and the trend of the new economy and smart technology development in China.

Therefore, in the new year, we shall maintain the overall growth and quality of the company by driving new business growth through innovation; in the new year, we shall continue pushing forward with the reforms, optimizing the company’s management control system and mechanisms, improving our competency in financial operation and strategic management, encouraging innovation and development of core teams for the perfection of management mechanisms; in the new year, we shall overcome the challenge of various risks and promote the quality development of the company; in the new year, we shall continuously increase the R&D investment for the further development in the sectors of vacuum insulated glass and glass tempering furnace; in the new year, our intelligent manufacturing and creative manufacturing shall work together and take LandGlass to the next level. I believe that in the next year, as long as all LandGlass staff collaborate together and stay committed to innovation and reform, the company shall achieve further success; I believe that in the next year, we shall realize the win-win situation in the corporate and personal development; I believe that in the next year, all LandGlass’ people present at the meeting today will share the economic benefits and experience the personal growth brought about by the development of the company! 

Committed to excellence, we shall strive to be the best. 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up. LandGlass is fortunate to be the participant and witness of this great advancement. Now, the development of LandGlass has entered into a new era in the context of national development planning; now, LandGlass’s pace of innovation has again closely followed the trend of global development. As an enterprise that belongs to and embraces the new age, I invite each and every LandGlass staff member to join me and commit ourselves to be a dream chaser in the era. Let’s strive together for greater breakthroughs in 2019.  With our mind determined, nothing can stop us!