A row of 1.7-meter-long, red and green ultra-high torque mining drill rods are neatly stacked in the finished product area of Henan Zhongyuan Heavy Forging & Pressing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing”), awaiting shipment overseas. This core product, once “strangled” by Europe and the United States, is now setting sail from Jiyuan City, Henan Province.
After 20 years of dedicated work, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing has developed from a “small workshop” into a national-level specialized and innovative “little giant” enterprise. Its ultra-high torque mining drill rods have been exported to more than 20 countries, firmly holding the title of “hidden champion.” In recent years, facing multiple challenges such as the complex and volatile domestic and international environment and the strong supply and weak demand in traditional manufacturing industries, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing’s operating performance has continued to be excellent.
</ … In the face of fierce competition, how has this private enterprise managed to forge ahead? Let's find out. Rooted in a niche market, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing's factory stands quietly amidst rows of camphor and plane trees in the depths of winter. In the spacious and bright modern heavy-duty workshop, each production line operates in an orderly manner. Having cultivated this market for over two decades, General Manager Wang Jisheng of Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing has not forgotten his roots: In October 2004, Wang Jisheng decided to change course, resign from his job, and start from scratch with two friends. Relying on raw materials from steel and other manufacturing industries in his hometown of Jiyuan, he and his friends founded Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing, entering the equipment manufacturing industry. "At the beginning of the company, we only had a dozen workers, producing small forgings in a workshop with only simple lathes," said Wang Jisheng. "Although the factory was small, the vision of the operator had to be broad. Wherever there are oil fields and mines, that's where our market is." Shortly after its establishment, Wang Jisheng frequently conducted in-depth investigations and negotiations in major oilfields around the world, and regularly participated in top-tier industry exhibitions. He gradually discovered the company's development path—focusing on in-depth research and development of high-performance precision forgings such as drilling stabilizers. Thus, the company embarked on a new journey to become a "hidden champion" in its niche market. "Rooting ourselves in a niche market and cultivating it diligently is the key to the company's success," Wang Jisheng explained. Since its inception, the company has targeted the "narrow but deep" niche market of high-performance precision forgings, continuously increasing its investment. In 2008, the company completed the transformation of its 2,500-ton hydraulic press, becoming the largest private forging enterprise in Jiyuan. In 2013, the company built two branch plants—one for heat treatment and one for petroleum equipment—becoming the only private equipment manufacturing enterprise in Jiyuan City integrating forging, heat treatment, and precision machining. In 2020, the company invested 55 million yuan to build a precision machining production line with an annual output of 1,000 motor shafts, continuously building new competitive advantages… Today, stepping into Zhongyuan Forging's intelligent workshop, one sees industrial robots flexibly using their robotic arms to precisely handle red-hot billets. The central system automatically regulates the heat treatment furnace temperature, achieving precise and stable temperature control, endowing each batch of steel products with a stable "quality gene." Currently, Zhongyuan Forging has built a complete industrial chain encompassing four major processes and five branch plants, including electroslag remelting, forging, heat treatment, petroleum equipment manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing. It is accelerating the intelligent, digital, and green transformation of its industry, striving to achieve a leap from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing." Mastering core technologies is crucial; "new productive forces exist even in traditional industries, and private enterprises must further implement the new development philosophy." Wang Jisheng believes that it is this long-term approach of "earning one unit and investing it in another" that enabled the company to transform from a workshop into a modern enterprise, laying a solid foundation for further technological innovation. Core technologies are the "lifeblood" of an enterprise, and mastering independently controllable technologies was a hurdle that Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing had to overcome at its inception. In 2005, to break the foreign monopoly on ultra-high torque mining drill pipes, and with domestic companies failing in their research and development and no overseas experience or technology to draw upon, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing made a determined decision: to venture into the "tiger's den." "We pushed forward little by little with the spirit of 'ants gnawing at bones,'" said Chen Weidong, the technical director of Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing. After hundreds of sleepless nights of hard work, the technical staff saw a glimmer of hope, but overcoming the challenge of heat treatment materials proved extremely difficult. After comparing a large number of materials, the company's technical staff finally discovered that the performance of the ultra-high torque mining drill pipe material from abroad was very similar to that of a certain type of special steel in China. Subsequently, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing revised its processes, undergoing rigorous refinement, and ultimately overcame a series of technical challenges. The product performance not only met all standards but also surpassed some international standards. Driven by this relentless pursuit, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing not only achieved import substitution in 2012 but also became one of the first in China to export in bulk. By 2025, this product was expected to contribute 67% to the company's profits. Today, the new productivity of the processing and manufacturing industry has brought exponential returns to enterprises. It is reported that two of the world's three largest mining drilling companies use Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing's ultra-high torque mining drill pipes. "Science and technology are the primary competitive advantage; key core technologies must be firmly grasped in our own hands," Chen Weidong explained. Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing already holds 3 national invention patents and 46 utility model patents, and has won the second prize of the Henan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award. The company has risen to the forefront of the industry through technological upgrades. Expanding its overseas market, supported by key core technologies, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing has entered a new blue ocean in the international market, becoming an undeniable new force in its niche market. "I will never forget the looks in the eyes of foreign customers back then," said Wang Jisheng. Sixteen years ago, at an oil equipment exhibition in the United States, some customers had serious doubts about Chinese manufacturing. "At that time, I made up my mind that I must manufacture our own high-end products!" Standing in front of the company's laboratory building, Wang Jisheng pointed to the plaque of the "Oil Drilling Stabilizer Engineering Technology Research Center," saying that Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing has always integrated quality control into every production link, and its product technology and quality updates have always been in sync with Europe and the United States, with many products exceeding international standards. The company continuously hone its strength through innovation and precision, digging a "one-meter-wide" market into a "thousand-meter-deep" one. Yang Jingbo, the deputy general manager of Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing responsible for production technology and quality, recalled that in August 2014, at the Stavanger Oil and Gas Exhibition in Norway, a representative of the German industrial giant ThyssenKrupp clearly stated that they would not use Chinese oil drilling stabilizers. Faced with rejection, Wang Jisheng was inspired—he not only communicated sincerely with the other party but also invited foreign customers he had already cooperated with to share their experiences on-site. Ultimately, ThyssenKrupp agreed to visit Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing a month later. Unexpectedly, less than a week after the visit, the two parties signed a supply contract for 36 drilling stabilizers. Currently, Zhongyuan Forging & Pressing is the largest manufacturer in China for both ultra-high torque mining drill pipes and oil drilling stabilizers. "Focusing on our core business, mastering key core technologies, and possessing globally competitive high-end 'flagship' products are our winning formula for continuously expanding our overseas market," said Wang Jisheng. "During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the company will take it upon itself to fully enhance the image of 'Made in China with Intelligence,' unswervingly follow the path of specialized, refined, and innovative development, adhere to focusing on our core business, strengthening our industry, and refining our expertise, and continuously promote the high-quality development of the enterprise."
