Entrepreneur invigorates toothbrush company in Yangzhou, E China's Jiangsu

A staff member uses computer imaging to inspect toothbrush samples in the workshop of Yangzhou Minsheng Brush Industry Co., Ltd., located in Hangji township of Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Hantian)

Equipped with a dust-proof hat and gown, Zhang Degang adjusts an electronic microscope, his eyes fixed on a computer screen displaying images.

The screen displays rows of fine, neatly rounded filaments. “If bristles are too long, they won’t clean effectively; if too short, they become stiff and may injure the gums.” Zhang explains.

Zhang is the head of Yangzhou Minsheng Brush Industry Co., Ltd. Fifteen years ago, Zhang took over a struggling toothbrush factory from his father in his hometown of Hangji township in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, embarking on his entrepreneurial journey.

Zhang’s journey has not been without challenges. Early on, when servicing a German client, Zhang was unable to meet the standards demanded regarding production materials and workshop cleanliness. It was a stark lesson for Zhang.

Since then, Zhang has taken steps to upgrade the production workshop to meet international standards. In August 2013, his company became one of the first companies in Hangji to reach optimal cleanliness standards.

Hangji township, spanning 40 square kilometers, houses thousands of toothbrush manufacturers, earning it the nickname “Toothbrush capital of China”. On average, nearly 20 million toothbrushes are produced here each day, contributing to an annual output value surpassing 13 billion yuan (about $1.79 billion). This accounts for over 80 percent of the domestic market share and more than 35 percent of the global market share.

Photo shows a smart production workshop of Yangzhou Minsheng Brush Industry Co., Ltd., located in Hangji township of Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Hantian)

As market saturation approached, the township initiated four development projects focused on technology, energy conservation, eco-friendliness, and smart manufacturing, with a goal of encouraging toothbrush companies to transform through innovation and digitalization.

In a smart production workshop of the company, a row of injection molding machines automatically feed melted plastic pellets that are pressed into handles. Once requiring four to five workers per machine, the entire injection molding workshop now operates with only three employees.

Zhang credits this efficiency to the application of programming technology and the integration of intelligent equipment with digital systems.

In the company's exhibition room, over 30 patent certificates are neatly presented.

A wall in a toothbrush museum showcases local toothbrush brands in Hangji township of Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Gao Chao)

"This toothbrush is made from starch that biodegrades within two years," said Zhang, introducing a recently launched product.

He believes that the key to future breakthroughs lies in special toothbrushes that are eco-friendly and cater to specific cleaning needs like antibacterial properties, replaceable brush heads and denture cleaning.

From inheriting a small workshop to becoming the head of a provincial-level technologically advanced enterprise, Zhang has been at the forefront of the transformation of Hangji’s toothbrush industry and is filled with confidence for future innovations.