Innovative solutions helping SMEs reach their full potential

China Zheshang Bank Co Ltd is working closely with small and medium-sized enterprises in the high-tech sector.

The commercial lender is also looking for new innovative businesses such as those involved in the government-backed high-end equipment manufacturing industry.

CZBank has rolled out a raft of creative products as it explores opportunities to work with breakthrough SMEs such as Tianjin Emaging Technology Co Ltd.

The company specializes in research, development and promotion of magnetic bearing technologies.

Founded in 2006, Emaging spent years developing magnetic levitation technology.

Subsidiary Esurging (Tianjin) Technology Co Ltd even used a maglev system developed by the parent company to make blowers for sewage treatment plants.

"With the help of our technology, we are able to reduce blower bearing friction so that the bearings can spin between 20,000 and 30,000 revolutions per minute," said Hong Shenping, chairman of Emaging.

"That will help the operator of a sewage treatment plant cut energy consumption by more than 30 percent and reduce operating costs significantly," Hong added.

In a move to stay competitive, Emaging allowed sewage treatment plants to use the energy-efficient blowers manufactured by its subsidiary in a pay-later deal.

Under the agreement, the plants will pay later with part of the savings on their energy bills.

But this would not have been possible without the support of CZBank, as it is estimated that Emaging will only recoup equipment costs in two years.

The bank has acted as a middleman by extending credit to the company for the money it is owed from clients.

By using these innovative financial products, Emaging has increased its working capital and boosted its order book in 2017 after receiving a credit line of 200 million yuan ($30 million).

Up to mid-November 2017, the company had sold 300 blowers for 150 million yuan to sewage plants across China.

"The plan is to export our products (and services) to the United States in the near future, while we are in talks with buyers from Russia and Egypt," said Sun Jisong, general manager of Esurging.

The company has also produced permanent magnet motors and aims to expand into other fields, he added. These include general machinery and military equipment.

Emaging's tie-up with CZBank has been crucial and eventually led to a financial leasing program.

Since many of subsidiary Esurging's customers are interested in paying in installments, a financial leasing company controlled by the bank rolled out a service to ease cash flow problems, by purchasing the blowers and then leasing them to relevant companies.

Gao Yufeng, deputy general manager of the corporate banking department of CZBank Tianjin branch, said the lender plans to deepen cooperation with high-tech companies.

"Looking to the future, we are hoping to help Emaging when it seeks direct financing from capital markets through bond issuance and an initial public offering," Gao added.