Small Toy Industry: Chenghai Leads Traditional Toy Industry Upgrading and Transformation

Chenghai District, Shantou City: "Small toys" made "big industry"

As a major toy gift production and export base in China, Chenghai District of Shantou City sets “China Toy and Gift City”, “industrial cluster upgrade demonstration area”, “create regional international brand pilot area”, and “National Torch Plan Chenghai intelligent toy creative design and manufacturing "Industrial Base", "Guangdong Animation (Toys) Creative Industry Cluster" and so on. In recent years, Shantou's toy and gift industry has grown at an average annual rate of 14%, and 70% of its products have been exported to more than 100 countries and regions in the world, accounting for nearly 20% of the country's toy export volume. The initial formation of corporate growth integrates regional brands and local characteristics. Clear and clear competitive advantage of the "Certain Navy." In the industry, there have been "national toys to see Guangdong, Guangdong toys to see Chenghai".

Industry Introduction

Chenghai District of Shantou City, Guangdong Province is an important toy production base and export base in China. The craft toy industry is one of the pillar industries and characteristic industries. Chenghai toy industry started from the 1960s and 1970s. It is mainly the manual development of molds and home workshops. It has a small shape and simple process. Since the reform and opening up, Chenghai has taken advantage of overseas Chinese hometowns and neighboring Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, introduced capital, equipment, technology, and technology, and began the transformation from manual to mechanical and simple to complex. After the 1990s, under the strong support of the local government, the Chenghai toy industry joined a group of local companies engaged in packaging, decoration, electronics, machinery, and hardware products to join the ranks of supporting toys, the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Manufacturers and suppliers of machinery and electronic components from other places also set up sales offices in Chenghai.



After years of development, the toy industry is already the most distinctive industry in Shantou, and it is also an important pillar industry in Shantou's industrial economy. Chenghai Toys has gradually formed a production system of professional division of labor, such as raw material supply, molding design, mold processing, parts manufacturing, assembly molding, packaging and decoration, product sales, transportation, and agency exports. Chenghai toy companies have emerged a number of core enterprises, including Converse, Aofei Animation, etc., which are on the scale and on the top grades, and have 2 Chinese brand products such as “Converse” and “Audi” electric toys. "Guwei", "Audi", "Shifeng", "Qingxing" and "Xinghui" are five Guangdong famous brand products. At present, Guangdong Shunwei Toys & Crafts Co., Ltd. is the nation's first export exempt enterprise, and another 10 toy companies have been exported to Guangdong. Chenghai has thus become the only region that has been awarded the title of “China Toys & Gift City” by the China Light Industry Federation, and has been identified by the province as “Creating a Regional International Brand Pilot Zone” and “Industrial Cluster Upgrade Demonstration Zone” and “National Torch Plan Smart Toys Creative Design And manufacturing bases, "provincial cities and build toys and gifts advanced manufacturing base."

Polished toy products "Shantou manufacturing" gold signs. In order to jointly build the long-term development of Chenghai toys, actively promote the development of Chenghai toy industry, increase the overall level of Chenghai toy industry, and support the expansion of export of toy products. In 2009, Shantou Chenghai's export of craft toys reached 660 million U.S. dollars, an increase of 39% year-on-year. In 2010, Chenghai toy exports reached US$1 billion, an increase of 60% year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2011, the growth rate of toy exports in Chenghai remained strong, with the export value reaching US$240 million, an increase of 47% year-on-year.

At present, there are more than 20 leading companies with an annual output value of over 50 million yuan such as Aofei District in Chenghai District, which have a total of more than 6,000 patents authorized, 2 Chinese famous brand products, 2 Chinese well-known trademarks, and 5 Guangdong famous brand products. And 16 famous trademarks in Guangdong Province.

According to statistics, as of the end of 2010, there were nearly 3,000 companies engaged in the production of toys and gifts in the region, employing more than 100,000 people. Since 2003, the average annual growth rate of toys and gift products in Chenghai has remained at around 14%, and the total economic volume has continued to expand, making it the first pillar industry in Shantou City. In 2009 Chenghai’s toy production value reached 18.2 billion yuan (about 35% of the total industrial output value of Chenghai District). It is estimated that the output value will exceed 20 billion yuan in 2010. Nearly 70% of the products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions in the world, accounting for the export volume of toys in the country. Nearly 20%. There are 36 toy companies in the Shantou jurisdiction gaining ISO international quality system certification. 85 toy companies have obtained Chinese toy safety and quality certification certificates. 647 terminal manufacturers have all applied for 3C certificates, and 2,192 certificates have been issued, accounting for about the same industry certification in the country. A quarter of the number, 176 companies received export toy quality licenses. In the past three years, the innovative ability of export toy companies has made great progress. Taking the certified companies as an example, there are 76 OAM (self-designed) companies with independent brands, accounting for 45% of export enterprises, and 94 OEM (obsolete) companies, accounting for 55% of export enterprises. At present, the Shantou Municipal Government is actively integrating resources and doing a good job in the application for registration of collective trademarks of “Chenghai Toys”.

Technology for Inspection and Quarantine Promotes Industrial Upgrading

In accordance with the characteristics of the industry, the Shantou Bureau has actively exerted its advantages in inspection and quarantine technologies, and has made great achievements in promoting the upgrading of the toy industry and improving product quality.



The first is to increase investment in the East Guangdong Toys Testing Center and make new breakthroughs in improving the level of testing services. After several years of development, Yuedong Toy Testing Center is divided into physical testing room, electric performance room, combustion room, noise room, optical room, chemical room, spectrum room, chromatography room, baby carriage testing room and other professional testing sites. Nearly 200 sets of toy testing instruments and equipment, including ICP-MS, ICP spectrometer, GC/MS, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, atomic absorption, liquid chromatography and other large-scale testing equipment, have a total value of nearly 10 million yuan. The center has the ability to detect safety items in toy safety standards in China, the European Union, the United States, and international countries. It is one of the testing organizations for 15 toy CCC compulsory product certifications in the country, and has been approved to carry out type testing of export toy quality licenses. It is the only toy testing agency in Guangdong East and Southern Fujian Province. It is one of the most powerful toy testing agencies in Guangdong and even in the whole country. It has a certain reputation and influence in the toy industry and toy testing industry both at home and abroad.

The second is to strengthen the function of Yuedong Toy Testing Center to provide convenient, high-quality testing services for toy companies. The center has issued new safety regulations for the United States, the European Union and other countries. Chemical items such as lead content in toys have been increasingly tightened. Export toy manufacturers are in urgent need of understanding relevant indicators of raw materials before mass production of products to ensure that products comply with foreign requirements. Launched within 24 hours to inform the company of the initial results of raw material testing service measures, in the premise of ensuring the quality of testing, try to shorten the testing cycle, overtime to fully meet the needs of enterprises, timely issue test results.

The third is to use technology and information advantages to help qualified toy manufacturers establish toy testing laboratories. Under the active promotion and guidance of Shantou Bureau, in 2010, Converse, Qunxing, Xinghui, Aofei Animation and other companies established physical and mechanical projects and chemistry according to ASTM F963, EN71 and other European and American testing standards and GB6675. The project's testing laboratory has enhanced its ability to control product quality. None of the above-mentioned export products of the above-mentioned enterprises experienced any unqualified conditions.

Fourth, vigorously promote toy companies to vigorously develop and innovate their own brands. The Shantou Bureau gave full play to its technical advantages and actively guided some famous export enterprises in the Shantou Toy Industry to strengthen their efforts in independent development, speed up product upgrades in the toy industry in the jurisdiction, and changed the previous model of low-cost, low-price participation in international competition to win the competition. Gradually embark on the road of winning by quality; actively guide companies to enhance their independent innovation capabilities, focus on new product research and development, use international standards to research and develop safe and environmentally friendly alternative products, increase product technology content and cultural connotation, and increase the added value of toy products. Establish brand awareness and produce products with its own characteristics and own characteristics. In 2010, the value of export toy products of famous players such as Aofei Animation, Qunxing and Xinghui increased by 27%, 26%, and 29% year-on-year. These three companies together with Converse's export toy value accounted for the city’s exports of toy goods in 2010. 21% of the value.

Safety and security challenges

As the testing standards for imported toys in Europe and the United States have changed frequently, the requirements have been refined to thousands of substances, and the technical barriers set up have increased. In addition, penalties have become increasingly severe and the export situation of toys has become increasingly severe. In response to the endless technical barriers in Europe and the United States, and vigorously improving the international competitiveness of export toys, Shantou Inspection and Quarantine Bureau took active measures to strengthen organizational guidance, give full play to information advantages, and fully support enterprises to respond to foreign technical trade barriers.

The first is to promptly provide enterprises in the jurisdiction with domestic and foreign technical standards and regulations, foreign inspection information, and relevant warning notifications. In response to the European Union’s most stringent new toy safety directive that began on July 20, 2011, and fully understood that exporting toy companies are in possession of the new directives and their products in line with the new directive, the Shantou Bureau issued it to enterprises in May 2010. 115 questionnaires from the European Union and 93 copies were collected. The investigation of the toy companies and toy products exported to the European Union area was completed in a timely manner, and statistical analysis materials were compiled. At the same time, during the annual Chenghai International Toys & Gifts Fair, relevant laws and regulations were promoted to exhibitors; the company’s information platform was fully utilized to publish mobile phone messages to publicize inspections and quarantine laws and regulations, as well as domestic and foreign product safety and quality related information to remind enterprises to timely Carry out relevant project inspection and inspection in order to facilitate customs clearance and inspection.

The second is to actively organize toy enterprises in the jurisdiction to participate in various trainings and seminars, and provide strong support from information and technology. Through consultations and answers in the form of holding conferences, holding training courses, holding seminars, and propaganda and reporting, timely publicizing and interpretation of national policies and regulations, and providing foreign industry information and relevant regulatory requirements. For example, at the site of the “Hundred People Service Corps” service activity, relevant policies such as “Notes for Entering Egyptian Enterprises” and “Notes on the Imports of European and U.S. Companies Concerning Phthalate Salt Toys” were widely received by toy companies. In 2010, the Shantou Bureau provided a total of 2 technical standards for companies in the jurisdiction, 6 foreign inspections for technical information, 10 notifications for relevant recalls, and more than 2,000 copies of "Toy News" to provide technical support for enterprises to respond to new technical barriers.

Related Links Shantou Toys Export Shows Five Major Features in Recent Years

First, the proportion of foreign trade exports has increased year by year. In recent years, the export volume of Shantou toys has continuously expanded, and its proportion of foreign trade exports has increased year by year. Toy exports accounted for only 7.4% of foreign trade exports in 2006. By 2010, this proportion has risen to 13.5%.

Second, the scale of the company is expanding year by year. The average export value of enterprises rose from nearly 500,000 US dollars in 2001 to more than 3 million US dollars in 2010, and the growth rate exceeded 6.5 times in ten years.

Third, the market development capability has gradually increased and the export territory is getting bigger and bigger. Shantou toys were exported to more than 110 countries (regions) in the world in 2010, an increase of nearly 40% compared to 2001. In addition to the continued growth in exports to the traditional EU market, there have been significant achievements in developing new markets such as ASEAN and Latin America.

Fourth, the export of processing trade has become a new growth point. In 2010, the export of processing trade increased by nearly 40%, and the proportion of total toy exports also rose from 8.8% in 2006 to 21.5%.

Fifth, the scientific and technological content of products continues to increase, and exports of high value-added products have grown rapidly. In recent years, Chenghai toy companies keep abreast of changes in the times, focus on market demand, timely upgrade the product structure, and inject more technological elements into the product to meet market demand.

Changes in Toy Export Trade Patterns

The export of toys in Shantou City was dominated by general trade, and the processing trade grew rapidly, with an increase of 5.4 times in five years. The export ratio of the two countries changed from September 1st to 82nd. From 2006 to 2010, the value of general trade exports increased steadily year by year, with an average annual growth rate of 22.1%. In the global economic recession of 2008 and 2009, the value of general trade mode exports continued to grow rapidly, year-on-year growth rates reached 19.4. % and 32.4%, but during the same period, the export of processing trade grew rapidly, and the export value increased by 5.4 times in five years, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 60%. In 2010, the proportion of exports accounted for more than 20%.

Shantou Chenghai toy industry cluster highlights

Due to the impact of the international financial crisis, the domestic and international toy industry encountered "winter" and production and sales declined. Nearly 3,000 toy and gift companies in Chenghai District of Shantou City were able to find new business opportunities in the crisis and take advantage of the potential to expand the domestic market, presenting a favorable situation in both production and sales. At the beginning of 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao specifically gave instructions on the information submitted by the Guangdong Provincial Government and fully affirmed the practice of supporting the development of the toy industry in Chenghai District.

Build toy gift advanced manufacturing base

In order to clarify the development direction, development goals, and development priorities of the Chenghai toy and gift industry, effective and effective development safeguard measures have been formulated. The Chenghai District Government and the Shantou City Economic and Trade Bureau jointly carried out research activities on the toys and gifts industry, and formulated provinces and cities to jointly build Guangdong Province ( Shantou) Toys and Gifts advanced manufacturing base development plan, and through the review of the Guangdong Provincial Experts Group, with the support of the Guangdong Provincial Economic and Information Committee, the toy and gift industry cluster has become Guangdong Province (Shantou) toy gift advanced manufacturing Industry base.

Coordinate the development of toy gift industry clusters

In order to promote the upgrade of the toy and gift industry cluster in Chenghai District, Chenghai District has formed a good work pattern in which the district government takes the lead and units and enterprises participate in the work together, further strengthening coordination and jointly promoting the upgrading of industrial clusters. Established Chenghai District to establish the Leading Group of the Guangdong Province Toys and Gifts Industrial Cluster Upgrade Demonstration Zone, which is responsible for guiding and coordinating the major issues encountered by the region in promoting the development of industrial clusters; establishing joint meetings, improving the working system, and formulating relevant documents from the government level We will promote the development of industrial clusters into the work schedule and standardized track, and effectively promote the rapid and sound development of toy and gift industry clusters.

Vigorously implement brand strategy

With the government taking the lead, we will actively implement the strategy of promoting brand names and form a new pattern in which corporate brands and regional brands promote each other, and products, companies, and industries have a positive interaction.

At present, there are 2,440 registered product trademarks in the toy and gift industry in the region, including 2 Chinese famous brand products, 5 Guangdong famous brand products, 2 well-known Chinese trademarks, and 16 famous Guangdong trademarks.

With the establishment of a regional international brand as the carrier, the Chenghai Toys & Gifts International Brand Development Center was established and the registration, promotion and promotion activities of the “Chenghai Toys” collective trademark were actively carried out.

Promote toy industry to industrial culture

Chenghai District is based on key parks, public service platforms and brand products, with key enterprises as the main body, market orientation, structural adjustment as the focus, and industrial and product upgrading and optimization as the goals, strategically planning and supporting Chenghai District Toys. The development of the industry, at the same time for the vigorous development of the new characteristics of the toy industry, promote the combination of toys and animation culture in Chenghai District, improve the overall quality of the toy gift industry and international competitiveness.

Vigorously develop domestic and foreign markets

In response to the impact of the international financial crisis, Chenghai District has helped companies expand their marketing channels to an important agenda and actively implement a market diversification strategy. On the one hand, organize enterprises to participate in various large-scale trade promotion activities at home and abroad, including the China Import and Export Fair and Hong Kong Toys Fair, and consolidate the traditional markets of the United States, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia, and vigorously explore Russia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa, and South America. Emerging Markets.

Strengthen IPR protection and quality certification

The first is to actively carry out special rectification actions on toy product quality and continuously optimize and improve the toy industry in Chenghai. Various functional departments in Chenghai District actively carry out various consulting activities to solve problems for enterprises and help enterprises to do a good job in product certification, quality system certification, "3C" certification and production licenses for early declaration. Nearly 30 toy companies in the region have obtained ISO quality system certification, and 82 toy companies have obtained China Toy Safety and Quality Certification; 604 toy companies have obtained 3C certification and 2,103 certificates, accounting for approximately 4 points of the total number of toy product certifications in China. one. The second is to do a good job of intellectual property work. Establishing service centers such as research and development centers and patented technology markets provide necessary support for product development and technological innovation.

Continuous improvement of public service platform construction

Build public technology innovation service platform and introduce product quality inspection service platform. We will comprehensively promote the construction of an enterprise quality management system and widely implement and carry out quality certification, environmental protection certification, safety certification, and “3C” certification. Encourage and promote enterprises to adopt international standards and foreign advanced standards to help enterprises deal with technical barriers to trade.

Chenghai has become a “leader” in the upgrading and transformation of traditional toy industry

Toy exports from Guangdong accounted for more than 60% of total toy exports in 2010, and Chenghai District, Shantou City, was the main production base. There are more than 3,000 toy-related companies here, and it is named "Guangdong Animation (Toys) Creative Industry Cluster."

Under the guidance of the government, local companies are combining domestic and foreign sales patterns that have been based on the “original” export-oriented production model in the past, focusing on marketing, and making full use of the advantages of the entire industry chain to transform production and business models. Today, Shantou Chenghai has become the "leader" in the upgrading and transformation of Guangdong's traditional toy industry. In 2010, Chenghai's animation and toy industry realized an output value of 2.8 billion yuan, an increase of 40% year-on-year.

Driven by the successful effect, the number of toy manufacturing enterprises that have transformed and created their own brands continues to rise. According to Ma Qiusheng, the director of Chenghai Customs, the proportion of Guangdong's toy export processing trade has been declining in recent years, and it has been rapid from about 80% in 2007. It dropped to about 60% last year, which also reflects the transformation and upgrading of Guangdong toy companies. Judging from the situation of Chenghai, only 298 toy companies have only 298 import-export companies to record with the customs. It can be seen that the vast majority of Chenghai toy companies are general trading companies with their own brands.

With the rapid development of the domestic toy market, toy companies generally face “recruitment shortages” and aging of production equipment. At the same time, with the increase in foreign customers’ safety standards for toys, Chenghai’s enterprises have discovered “recall” and policy in export orders. The risk is getting bigger and bigger. Many toy companies hope to transform their production lines through the introduction of foreign advanced equipment technologies, establish their own brands, research and develop high-tech products, and achieve industrial upgrading.

In 2005, Guangdong Xinghui Vehicle Model Co., Ltd. spotted the development trend of the domestic auto industry and was committed to transforming and upgrading to an innovative model enterprise. After Chenghai Customs learned about the company's situation, it immediately sent relevant information on tax reduction and exemption preferential policies, which provided Starcraft with a number of laser rapid prototyping equipments to provide customs clearance convenience, helped the company to quickly establish a model laboratory, and greatly shortened the product development cycle. The new products and morning market with innovative advantages of enterprises have won the opportunity to seize market share.

Today, the transformation and upgrade of Guangdong Xinghui Vehicle Model Co., Ltd. has become a globally renowned brand authorized vehicle model supplier, and has obtained brand authorizations for over 200 models of 24 world-famous automobile brands including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lamborghini, Honda and Toyota. . 75% of the company's products are exported, and its export products are sold to 47 countries and regions in the world.

According to Ke Mao, executive deputy director of Chenghai District of Shantou City, the listed company has not only expanded its business scale, but has also carried out technological transformation, upgraded its original industry, and entered a more updated field; at the same time, the listed company passed Capital market mergers and acquisitions and restructuring, integration of industrial resources, eliminate backward production capacity, improve the core competitiveness and industry status. Through the listing, private companies in Chenghai have effectively improved the "soft underbelly" of corporate strategic planning, internal control, supply chain optimization, and performance management, and realized the transformation from "family management" to "modern management", and have produced strong demonstration effects. .

In order to encourage enterprises to participate in capital market competition, and cultivate and expand the "Chenghai plate," Chenghai District will fully support listed companies in issuing additional financing, making good use of capital to achieve enterprise scale expansion. At the same time, in the project construction land index arrangement, it insists on being inclined to the listed or proposed listed companies, and supports Alpha Animation, Xinghui Vehicle Model, Converse Toys, and Qunxing Toys to use the listed funds to further expand the production base and expand production capacity.