Foreign executives in Tianjin voice optimism

Foreign executives in Tianjin have struck an optimistic tone over Tianjin’s economic resilience and its resumption of work, despite the ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic.

Tianjin has witnessed its top 100 foreign trade companies resume work at a rate of 100 percent.

Tianjin LG Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd: Running at 100 percent capacity.

Tianjin LG Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd, a Sino-South Korean joint venture in Tianjin, has - with the help of local government measures - restored its full production capacity, producing up to 830 tons of caustic soda and 1,100 tons of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) daily.

Lee Jinseob, general manager of the company, recently confirmed at a remote conference that this year’s sales target of 3 billion yuan is unchanged. Meanwhile, he suggested the concept of “staying together in the same boat”, which means relying on each other in difficult times, as the first item in the enterprise’s development policy this year.

After the break caused by COVID-19, the company maintained production during the Spring Festival because its chemical products are essential in the production of anti-epidemic supplies and the support of other industries.

Even though there was high demand for its products, the company could only run at 70 percent production capacity due to a shortage of staff and the shutdown of supporting businesses ‘downstream’, including packaging, logistics and warehousing companies.

To solve the problem, the management committee of Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, where the company is located, set up a special group to address the challenges. They facilitated the supporting companies to resume in an orderly manner and made sure subsidies were given to the workers.

Zhang Lingxiao, deputy director of the management committee, said: "We have made specific arrangements for the employees returning to the factory and the company’s need for subsidies, and moreover, we have built connections between banks and enterprises to ensure companies’ financing in a timely manner."

The Tianjin Commission of Commerce and the Foreign Affairs Office are cooperating with the company to tailor a plan for those South Korean employees and their families who have ended their holidays and plan to return to Tianjin, encompassing getting them home after they land to the daily issues they may run into during their 14-day quarantine.

Vestas’s Binhai manufacturing base: Workers approved for resumption just in time

Michael Roy Balvers, vice president and head of Asia Pacific, Vestas Assembly, Generator and Towers, had a weight taken off his mind when the Binhai government effectively facilitated the resumption of work at its factory in order to meet the demand from across the world.

As orders came in to the global wind turbine giant’s important manufacturing base in Binhai, Balvers had to apply for workers to return to work on Feb 12, amid the virus outbreak, because of shortages in the inventory.

The local government accelerated the approval through an online green channel and checked the health conditions of 500 applied employees within just four days.

The resumption of the 500 employees began without incident on Feb 15. But yet another urgent order was placed from the headquarters that same day which required the factory to lift its running capacity to 60 percent from 20 percent in two days. Otherwise, it would have lost a large number of overseas customers.

After being informed of the emergency situation, local officials worked overtime through the weekend to ensure the health of the 1,600 employees.

Balvers appreciated the timely service of local government. "The entire approval process is very fast,” he said. “Within two days we achieved the second approval of workers returning to work. I am very happy that Tianjin has provided us with such great service."

At present, the production base is working with more than 2,500 workers.

Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceuticals Company: Confident development in Tianjin

“The Chinese government has taken unprecedented measures, and a good trend has emerged. We are full of confidence in the future development of Novo Nordisk in China and Tianjin,” said Niels Laurbjerg Nielsen, corporate vice president and president of Site Tianjin

The company, a global leader in diabetes treatment, officially resumed orderly production from Feb 10 to ensure the supply of insulin for people with diabetes in the country.

"Local government, including Binhai area and Tianjin municipality, provided us with strong support for the safety and supply of our employees." Nielsen said.

The production base, located in Binhai, Tianjin, was established in 1995. It is one of Novo Nordisk's strategic production bases and supplies durable insulin injection devices and finished insulin products to the Chinese and global markets.

“Last year, the company's newly-invested production line arrived at the factory. Next, while gradually returning to normal production, we will also steadily advance the work of the new production line," Nielsen added.

Xia Qinglin, deputy head of Binhai New Area, said that the area will further promote the port, customs declaration, inspection, shipment, as well as other supporting parts of the industry chain, providing service and support to key foreign trade enterprises.