Revamp required for accessories industry

A better accessories industry is vital to boost the development of China's small high-tech companies, say entrepreneurs in Changchun, Jilin province.

Wu Chengshun, deputy general manager of Jilin King Laser Technology, says he is unsatisfied with China's development of the accessories sector.

"Our orders are in stock and our customers are already impatient to have their goods delivered," Wu says.

"We really want to focus on new product research, but the problem is that we cannot find companies to produce the accessories we need as these enterprises only work for big firms."

The big firms' reasons to shy away are reasonable, Wu says, adding that his company demands only high-quality accessories but at small amounts.

"Our products can be designed based on customers' needs, and accessories companies really don't have much profit left after working on our orders. We have no choice but to make the accessories ourselves, which greatly increases our costs and prolongs delivery dates," he says.

Wu has visited Germany several times and the country's highly developed accessories-producing system impressed him greatly.

"There are many high-tech companies in Germany like we have in China. But it also has something so important that we do not have: small but reliable accessories factories," he says.

Gou Yang, a manager at Changchun Northern Chemical Filling Equipment, is facing similar problems.

"As we are dealing with chemicals that are extremely toxic and of high risk, the accessories we need have a higher quality demand. I do hope more small accessories enterprises can be introduced to help companies like ours," Gou says.

Fu Cheng, director of the Sociology Institute at Jilin Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, says the government is "playing the role of a service provider and matchmaker to help enterprises solve problems".

"But it is not capable of everything. The accessory industry will gradually take shape when the production scale of these small enterprises expands quickly," he says.

hena@chinadaily.com.cn