Zhou Houjian, president of Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group Co Ltd. [Photo/lanjingapp.qtvnews.com]
Zhang Guofang, president of Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group Co Ltd or BMSG, has focused on the research and development of seaweed and turned the old State-owned seaweed processing firm into the world's largest bio seaweed substance processing firm.
Founded in 1968, the company was heavily in debt due to excessive inventory, customer complaints, plant shutdowns and worker lay-offs. Facing those difficulties, Zhang researched the market extensively and overcame the problems one by one.
His effort paid off. The growth of employees' income reached 116 percent in a mere five years. The company was also transformed into a private one with notable achievements made in high-quality development.
In 2000, Zhang decided to study and develop seaweed to benefit human health. He and the company adhered to that direction and ramped up efforts to transform and upgrade.
The company undertook over 20 national projects and established a seaweed biotechnology center and three bases including an overseas raw materials supply base in Chile in 2013.
Zhang invested 5 billion yuan ($702.83 million) to build an industrial park, which covers an area of 1,000 mu (66.67 hectares) and focuses on high-end seaweed products, responding to China's strategic goal of becoming a maritime power.
