From the production of China's first generation of photographic films, black and white film positives, color film positives, and civilian films, to the development of China's first generation of color films and color photo papers, Lekai once gained a reputation in the industry. With the rapid development of digital imaging technology, the film industry has gradually declined, and Lekai has also embarked on the road of transformation and development. How did the "king of Chinese film" transform? With the concerns of netizens, a reporter from China Economic Net interviewed Wang Yingru, member of the Party Committee and deputy general manager of China Lekai Film Group.

Moderator: We have noticed a set of data. From January to September 2010, the main revenue of the film materials of the Lekai Group, which is mainly used for flat panel display optical films, increased by 102.3% year-on-year, accounting for 20% of the group's operating income, and profits accounted for 40% of group profits. How does the new business achieve such pleasing results? At present, how does the Group position this business segment?

Wang Yingru: Such achievements are not easy to come by. This is the initial result of the Lekai Group's recent structural adjustment. With the rapid development of digital imaging technology, new challenges have been brought to traditional businesses. In order to adapt to this change, after analyzing the market and technology development trends, Lucky Group has combined its own advantages to determine the development direction of product structure adjustment and industrial structure adjustment.

The first is to adjust the original business to digital output materials in the product structure, including the civilian, medical, and printing industries; the second is to adjust the industrial structure, which will be film-forming technology, coating technology, etc. The core technology accumulated by materials has been horizontally expanded into new fields after being upgraded, such as the current flat panel display. Optical films play an important role in supporting the adjustment of industrial structure.

Moderator: Lucky was once a leader in China's film production enterprises. What advantages does Lucky has to switch to the optical film industry?

Wang Yingru: It is very difficult for an enterprise to make such adjustments. Digital development is now a revolution. We have discovered that a technology will suddenly be replaced after more than 100 years of development, and the industry that Lekai has been relying on for decades will no longer exist. If this impact is not experienced, It's hard to imagine. Digitalization has greatly shortened the product life cycle, which requires enterprises to adjust their industrial structure.

According to the existing core technology of Lucky Kai, we choose optical film as the breakthrough point of transformation. This is mainly based on three reasons. First, the market prospects for the application of optical thin films are very broad and belong to the sunrise industry. The second is a technology-intensive and capital-intensive high value-added product, which is more suitable for Lekai. Third, the optical film technology has some correlation with the core technology of Locca.

Moderator: Now let ’s go back and look at the transformation of Lekai. What are the experiences and lessons worth summing up?

Wang Yingru: At present, the structural adjustment of Lekai is showing initial results, and there is still a long way to go in the future. The contribution of new businesses to the scale and efficiency of the company needs to be further improved. From the perspective of customers, at present, the quality, variety and production capacity of our products cannot fully meet customer needs. From a big perspective, we haven't made a big breakthrough in the industry chain.

I believe that the necessary conditions to support corporate transformation are to have core technology and adhere to its principles. First of all, it is necessary to make a scientific decision. It is a matter of direction. If the direction is wrong, no good result can be obtained. Second, we must persist. Either adjust the structure or transform, you will encounter various problems and difficulties, sometimes beyond your imagination. In this case, you must persist to seize the opportunity. Third, we must have our own core technologies, otherwise transformation and structural adjustment will become a source of inert water.

Moderator: In the process of transformation, optical film is one of the more advanced LCD flat panel display manufacturing technologies. What do you think is the biggest technical challenge facing Lekai?

Wang Yingru: In the high-end technology field, technical barriers are a big problem. In the past few decades, Lekai has accumulated its core technology in the development of photosensitive materials, that is, the film-forming technology and coating technology mentioned earlier have certain relevance to optical films, which means that we are in this field. Here doesn't start from scratch.

Of course, accumulation in the past alone is not enough. While building new projects in recent years, Lekai has been increasing investment in scientific research and development, and constantly developing new products and new technologies in conjunction with structural adjustment. Now the company invests hundreds of millions of yuan in research and development each year, accounting for about 3% of sales revenue, which can provide strong support for technological innovation.

Moderator: What level of Lekai's optical film technology is in the world? What is competitive advantage?

Wang Yingru: After more than 100 years of development, photosensitive materials have gradually developed to digital. When the photosensitive material finally entered the period of decline, I think the technology of Lekai's photosensitive material is in the first echelon in the world. We have now mastered the key formulation technology of optical grade PC film and PT film. On the whole, the product variety cannot fully meet the needs of customers, and large-scale technologies need to be broken through.

At present, the international competition for optical film technology is still fierce and belongs to the high-tech field. Lekai is a latecomer. The competition is indeed very difficult. Because of this, our strategy is to use our core competitiveness to form a comparative advantage. Among them, the most important is cost control and price competitiveness.

Moderator: China is a big consumer and producer of televisions. Does this create a better environment for the development of optical films? During the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, how will Lekai accelerate the change of development mode?

Wang Yingru: China is a big country in the manufacture of computers and televisions, but also a big consumer. This brings a lot of market space for Lekai. Our country has invested heavily in flat panel display technology in recent years. Large-scale panel production lines have been put into operation continuously, and the market space in the future is very large. This brings great challenges to Lekai and also puts forward higher requirements. At present, China is also encouraging the development of strategic emerging industries. Lekai has been engaged in the production of high-tech products. The areas where we are currently restructuring are new materials, which has a strong correlation with the direction of Lekai's structural adjustment.

During the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, Lucky Kai will continue to promote product structure adjustment and industrial structure adjustment. In the future, it will focus on the development of imaging information, printing materials, film materials and coating materials. The imaging information is mainly civilian and medical materials. The printing field is mainly to transform traditional printing photosensitive materials into digital printing output materials. Film materials and coating materials will focus on the development of optical grade PC films and PT films, and serialization and scale of product varieties. I hope that in 2015, optical-grade PT films will exceed 30% of the group's sales, and the production capacity of PC films will be increased by 4 to 6 times.