Affected by the epidemic this year, foreign trade exports have encountered challenges. Recently, the reporter found during a visit that home textile companies that produce finished curtains, blankets, and pillows have surged in orders, and at the same time new problems of shortage of personnel have emerged. To this end, finished home textile companies are stepping recruiting to expand production capacity, while focusing on product development to enhance bargaining power, and are also embarking on intelligent transformation to accelerate transformation and upgrading, and strive to sprint exports in the fourth quarter.

Orders for finished home textiles surge, and staff shortages become a roadblock

Recently, at the door of Youmeng Home Textile Co., Ltd. in Keqiao District, there are cars coming and going every day. In order to catch up with production, the company accelerated the pace of production. Originally, only one cart of fabrics were sent in a day, but now it has increased to three or four carts. After finished products, about 30,000 curtains are sent to the United States, Europe and other places in a container every day.

Affected by the epidemic, foreign lifestyles and consumption habits have changed. With the increase in living time at home and the increase in online shopping, orders for finished curtains of “Youmeng Home Textiles” have surged since July this year, and the export value is expected to increase this year. An increase of 30 million yuan. “At present, our production capacity is 400,000 to 500,000 pieces per month, and the actual production capacity requires 800,000 pieces a month,” said Xie Xinwei, general manager, but due to the shortage of personnel, the production capacity cannot keep up.

This situation also happened in Shaoxing Qixi Import and Export Co., Ltd. “Qixi Import and Export” mainly deals in household products such as blankets, pillows, cushions, and cushions, which are exported to Europe, the United States, and South America. “This year the company has 20% fewer employees, but the number of orders has increased by 30%-40% compared to last year.” Hu Bin, the company’s chairman, said that due to the epidemic, it is difficult to recruit employees this year. After the increase in orders, the company wants to expand production capacity, but suffers Staff shortage.

Enlarge recruitment to expand production capacity, “machine substitution” to increase efficiency

In order to ensure that these hard-won orders are delivered on time, recently, “Youmeng Home Textiles” has not only extended working hours, but also advertised recruitment information and added a new workshop to expand production capacity. Xie Xinwei and the company’s management are soaking in the workshop every day, working overtime with employees, keeping an eye on production efficiency and product quality.

Facing the shortage of personnel, Shaoxing Qixi Import and Export Co., Ltd. plans to implement “machine substitution” ahead of schedule. Hu Bin told reporters that the company plans to invest 8 million yuan to purchase two intelligent assembly lines next year, and has already negotiated with equipment suppliers many times. In his view, for the company to develop for a long time, intelligent transformation is the general trend.

In recent years, Keqiao District has actively implemented the requirements of the three-year action plan for the intelligent transformation of key enterprises in Shaoxing City, and implemented the entire chain of transformation and upgrading in the fields of spinning, weaving, and clothing processing. Following the completion of the intelligent transformation of the first batch of 65 key enterprises last year, another 83 key enterprises are implementing intelligent transformation this year.

Break the ice in the epidemic, products are core competitiveness

In order to retain customers for a long time, in Hu Bin’s view, the core competitiveness is still the product. “In the international competition, our development and design capabilities are most valued by major European and American customers.” In the company’s showroom, Hu Bin took out a recycled flannel waist pillow, which looked like an ordinary small waist pillow. , But there are great things inside. “Its raw material is not polyester yarn, it is a renewable fiber made from recycled Coke bottles and mineral water bottles.”

Coke bottles and ordinary polyester filaments are all extracted from petroleum. In order to reduce plastic pollution, current international brands are promoting the use of renewable materials. The Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certification label on the waist pillow is proof. In recent years, the company has hired foreign designers to use renewable fibers to develop a series of products such as recycled flannel blankets, recycled coral fleece blankets, and recycled soft cotton velvet cushions, which have won the favor of European and American customers.

Global textiles is mainly in China, and Chinese textiles are in Keqiao. In recent years, the home textile industry has become a backbone of the development of Keqiao textile industry. In the era of large home furnishings, relying on the advantages of a complete textile industry chain, Keqiao Home Textiles has also transformed from the initial sale of curtain fabrics to finished products and branding. From finished curtains to pillows, blankets, tablecloths, wall coverings, etc., the categories are becoming more and more abundant. The added value continues to increase, and the industrial competitiveness continues to increase.