近日，香港中华厂商联合会对力劲集团创始人刘相尚先生进行了专访，并刊登在《企业雄才》上，以下是采访全文：

力劲集团创办人刘相尚，40年来乘着「改革开放」的东风， 把握每个国家发展机遇， 把力劲从一家小型机械厂，发展为全球最大的压铸机制造商。他深信，只有坚守「专注技术， 以客为先」的精神，才能让集团于时代巨轮中砥砺前行。

Liu  Siong Song, founder of LK Group, has been riding on the easterly winds ofChina’s reform and opening-up for 40 years. He has seized every developmentopportunity in the nation,transforming LK Group from a small machine factoryinto the largest manufacturer of die-casting machines worldwide. It is hisbelief that only by adhering to the motto of “focusing on technology andputting customers first” can the Group move forward through changing times.

祖籍广东的刘相尚生于印度尼西亚一个华侨家庭，年少时在父亲经营的维修汽车厂工作，10多岁时已学会组装整辆汽车， 早早就与机械设备结下不解之缘。然而， 刘相尚的成长之路并不平坦，「小时候我在印度尼西亚读书， 却因当地华语学校被封锁而要回流到内地念书， 怎料回国后又遇上文化大革命， 更经历过上山下乡运动， 那时候心想：难道上天注定我不能求学？」回想起年青时经历的种种波折， 刘相尚笑言要感谢命运的安排， 好让他在逆境中磨练出坚毅刻苦的性格。

1972 年，刘相尚辗转移居香港， 决心投身「老本行」。他一边在机械厂内打工，一边到夜校念书进修， 渐渐累积对机械制造及工厂运作的知识。经过多年辛苦的打拼， 刘相尚终在1979 年自立门户，创立力劲品牌， 从事压铸设备生产。「当时香港市场的压铸机大多由日本进口， 价格昂贵， 投资回报周期长， 反之力劲研制的热室压铸机在价格上与进口设备相差3 至5 倍以上， 加上质量优良， 不久就在本地打响名堂。」

本地工业发展先锋

80年代初， 香港钟表业发展如日中天， 能够成就这段光辉岁月， 力劲可谓功不可没。「那时候制造表壳工序繁多，耗时较长， 但我们的热室压铸机只需几秒便可生产一个表壳。可以说， 香港钟表业的出口量之所以能够高踞世界第一， 与力劲成功冲破这项传统技术限制有莫大关系。」刘相尚自豪地说。

创新的技术配备不但使力劲逐步超越日本厂家， 甚至取得超过6、7成本地表壳机械设备的市场占有率。除表壳以外，力劲于80年代亦为本地厂商制造生产玩具及其他日用品的机器， 默默支持本港工业朝全球市场迈进。

紧随改革开放足迹

回顾力劲40年的奋斗史，刘相尚强调，力劲数十年来不仅见证国家改革开放的发展历程，亦与内地企业共同成长。1991 年，刘相尚正式进军内地，于深圳成立力劲机械（ 深圳） 有限公司， 早期以制造钥匙、拉链头等日用品机器为主，以配合内地个体户的需求。

「随着90年代内地的家电市场崛起， 我们开始发展生产家电的机器；到90年代中期至2000 年以后，内地人民生活水平提升，交通需求急速增长，我们便从轻工业走到重工业， 拓展摩托车及汽车生产机器业务；随着近年国内智能手机和网络迅速发展， 以及市场对环保概念日益重视， 促使了5G通讯设备和电动车时代的诞生， 力劲现时亦已加紧相关项目的研发工程。」

为配合内地业务不断扩展， 力劲先后于上海、中山、宁波、辽宁阜新、江苏昆山及台湾设立生产基地，其生产的压铸、注塑及加工中心设备远销至全球多个国家及地区，客户中不乏国际知名品牌， 包括丰田汽车、通用汽车、富士康及美泰玩具等等。

力劲于2006 年在香港上市后，进一步开拓国际业务， 2008年收购了全球首屈一指的意大利压铸机制造商意德拉公司及其品牌「IDRA 」，为集团进军欧洲市场打下重要基础， 并造就其成为全球最大的压铸机制造商。

实践产学研合作

近年， 传统制造业面临激烈的市场竞争压力， 如何善用创新技术以提升自身优势， 成为了厂商不得不思考的课题。作为行业先驱，刘相尚早于20 年前已开始透过产学研合作方式，带领力劲走向高增值发展。

「2000 年，我们与北京清华大学共同创立清华–力劲压铸高新技术研究中心，研制出大吨位的镁合金压铸机，填补了国内市场的技术空白。」至2008年，力劲又与香港理工大学合作，成功推出全球首部上射式微型注塑机，产品更于「第35届日内瓦国际发明展」中勇夺金奖。

问到可有「贴士」予以一众有意利用产学研合作，实现转型升级的厂商？刘相尚说：「一个产学研合作计划的成功， 往往取决于企业能否应用到合适的研发技术，因此，厂商在与学界研究团队进行技术配对时，应委任对公司产品发展潜力有敏锐触觉的员工，就各项研发技术作出谨慎判断， 方能较易找到可提升产品价值， 又能为集团带来较高投资回报的创新技术。」

着力技术提升

紧贴工业4.0的发展，力劲近年开始为不同制造业客户提供全方位一站式的压铸、注塑和智能加工方案，同时不断提升其机器配备的技术含量， 引进智能化、数据化、信息化以及节能环保等功能， 为客户提高生产效益， 鼓励他们迈向智能制造发展。

环顾当前压铸机的市场格局，刘相尚表示：「力劲的产品极具竞争力， 已经能与世界各国顶尖的压铸机生产商看齐。不过在注塑机方面，虽然目前内地注塑设备在中端、大型机器设备市场上甚具优势， 惟在精密机器生产方面的竞争力， 则或较难与日本及德国等国媲美， 未来可继续于高端市场力争上游。」

2019年，力劲成功获得美国著名电动车品牌的垂青，为其生产大型压铸设备。刘相尚坦言：「有压力！因为相关的产品为全球首创， 是现时最大型的压铸机， 生产过程相当不容易。但是我们相信， 只要能够成功突破这项技术， 将可为电动车行业带来一个崭新的生产模式。」

去年，力劲勇夺「2019 年香港名牌选举」的「香港卓越名牌」，并凭着其研发的D CC5000 大型智能压铸机， 获颁「2019 香港工商业奖︰ 设备及机械设计奖」，得到业界一致肯定。「我们要让客户得到最大的利益， 因为客户的成功，便是我们的成功。」刘相尚娓娓道出力劲的企业核心价值。

开拓医疗设备市场

在新型冠状病毒疫情下，刘相尚坦言：「自2018 年中美贸易战开打后，不少厂商纷纷持观望态度， 国内人民消费意欲亦大减， 令汽车销售量下降，本以为2020 年情况有望向好，却又碰上让人始料不及的新冠疫情，以致订单数目持续减少。」

然而，这段困难的日子却驱使刘相尚重新审视力劲的业务， 冀为集团未来发展订立新方向。「在疫情期间，医用口罩的核心原材料– 熔喷布需求大增，我们最近便与香港城市大学合作生产熔喷布机器， 以可分解之塑料物料制成的熔喷布取代现有的熔喷不织布， 减少口罩弃置对环境造成的污染。」

「国内人口正急速老化， 我们计划于不久的将来在『粤港澳大湾区』内拓展精密医疗仪器和复康产品生产设备市场， 如磁力共振机、测温机和智能轮椅等等，开拓新的业务范畴， 并继续紧贴国家的发展趋势。」刘相尚说。

访问期间，刘相尚总是保持微笑，十分亲切。「相比起出外旅游玩乐， 我更爱工作，因为对我而言， 没甚么比能钻研一部机器，来得更有成就感。」或许就是这份对机械的热爱， 令刘相尚在集团踏入40周年之际，仍能带领公司不断突破求新，在业界尽展锋芒。

Though hisancestral home is in Guangdong, Liu was born into an overseas Chinese family inIndonesia. When he was young, he worked in an automotive repair factory run by his father. By the time he was 10, he hadalready learned to assemble an entire car. His career has focused on mechanicalequipment since those early days. However, during his formative years, his lifepath was not smooth.
 
“When I was a child studying in Indonesia, I was forced to return tothe Mainland to continue my education due to blockades at the Chinese languageschool. I had unexpectedly encountered the Cultural Revolution afterreturning to China, and I even experienced the Down to the Countryside Movementand was forced to live in the countryside. At that time, I thought I wasdestined to stop education.”

As Liu recalled the ups and downs of his youth, he smiled.He expressed his thankfulness for the unexpected interventions of fate that hadcultivated his strength to perseverance in the face of adversity.
     
In 1972, Liu moved to Hong Kong and was determined to take up his “old business”. Whileworking in a machine factory, he also studied in night school to learn moreabout machine manufacturing and factory operations. After years of hard work,Liu started his own business with the brand name LK in 1979 and engaged in theproduction of die-casting equipment.
     
 “The majority of die-casting machines available in the Hong Kongmarket were imported from Japan at a high price，resultingin a longer return on investment period. In contrast, the selling price of LK’s hot chamberdie-casting machines was three to five times lower than that of the importedequipment，and together with good product quality, LKgained acclaim in the local market.”
       
Pioneer of the Local Manufacturing Industry
　　
In the early 1980s, the Hong Kong watchand clock industry was in its glory days, largely due to LK’s contributions.

“At that time, making watch casesinvolved numerous time-consuming processes. However, our hot chamber diecastingmachine could produce a watch case in just a few seconds. So, the reason forthe export volume of Hong Kong’s watch industry beingranked No.1 in the world is closely related to LK’sbreakthrough in technology.”
　　
Innovative technical equipment not onlyenabled LK to gradually surpass Japanese manufacturers but also allowed thecompany to achieve a market share of over 60% to 70% in machine equipment for local watch cases.In the 1980s, LK also manufactured machines for local manufacturers of toys andother daily necessities, which provided support for Hong Kong manufacturers to enter the globalmarket.
      
Following the Development of China’s Reform and Opening-up
　　
Looking back on LK’s 40-year history, Liu emphasized that the company has not onlywitnessed the developments of China’s reform andopening-up in the past decades, but also developed alongside other Chineseenterprises. In 1991, LK officially entered the Mainland market and establishedLK Machinery (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. In the early days, the company mainly focusedon manufacturing machines that produced daily necessities, such as keys andzippers, to meet the needs of individual businesses in the Mainland.
　　
“With the rise of the home appliancemarket in the Mainland in the 1990s, we began to develop machines for homeappliance production. By the mid-1990s and continuing through the 2000s,Chinese living standards had significantly improved, leading to an increase in trafficdemand. We gradually transformed our business from light to heavy industry byexpanding into machinery businesses for motorcycle and automobile production.”
　　
“Additionally, the rapid development ofsmartphones and networks and the increasing focus on environmental issues haveled to the birth of a new era, one involving 5G communication and electricvehicles. LK has also stepped up its R&D projects for related products”, Liu said.
　　
To cope with its business expansion inthe Mainland, LK set up production bases in Shanghai, Zhongshan,Ningbo, Fuxin(Liaoning), Kunshan (Jiangsu) and Taiwan.The die-casting and injection mouldingequipment, as well as CNC machining centres manufactured by LK, has beenexported to various countries and regions across the globe. LK’s customers include various internationally renowned brands, such asToyota, General Motors,Foxconn and Mattel.
   
After its public listing in Hong Kong in 2006, LK further expanded its international business.In 2008,LK acquired Idra, a world-leading die-casting machine manufacturer basedin Italy, along with its brand name.This laid a solid foundation for the groupto enter the European market, and LK became the world’slargest manufacturer of die-casting machines.

Achieving Industry-Academia Collaboration in R&D
   
The traditional manufacturing industry has been confronted with intense pressurefrom market competition.Therefore, it is essential for the manufacturingindustryto optimise its technological applications to enhance its comparativeadvantages.

As a pioneer in the industry, Liu has led LK towards high value-added products throughcooperation between industries, universities and research institutes. As Liustated, “In2000, we established the Tsinghua-L.K. Advanced Die-casting TechnologyResearch Centre with Tsinghua University, and we developed a large-tonnagemagnesium alloy die-casting machine to fill the technology gap in the Mainlandmarket.”By 2008, LK cooperated with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University andhad launched the world’s first bottom-up high- precision plasticmicro-injection moulding machine, a product that received the “Gold Medal Awardat the 35th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.”

When asked if he had any tips for manufacturers who would like to leverage industry–academiacooperation to achieve transformation and upgrades, Liu replied that the essential success factor is whether themanufacturers can apply the most suitable technology in the manufacturing process.“When pairing technology with academic research teams, manufacturers shouldappoint employees who have a keen sense of product development to makejudgments on choosing the appropriate technologies that can help improve thevalue of the product and bring high returns.”

Focusing on Technological Enhancement

With theemergence of Industry 4.0, LK has begun to provide comprehensive die-casting,injection moulding and smart-machining solutions for customers of various manufacturingindustries. LK has been upgrading the technology aspects of its machinery tointroduce intelligent solutions, such as datamation and digitalisation, andenergysaving and environmental protection functions to improve customers’production efficiency, thus encouraging their customers to move towards smartmanufacturing.

In view of the current market for die-casting machines,Liu believes that LK’s products arevery competitive and can already be in line with the top die-casting machine manufacturersin various countries in the world. “China’s injection molding equipment is veryadvantageous in the mid-range and large-scale machinery and equipment market, butin terms of precision machinery production, it may be difficult for China tocompete with countries such as Japan and Germany. Local manufacturers cancontinue to strive for upstream in the high-end market.”

In 2019, LK successfully partnered with a well-known American electric vehicle company thathad produced the largest-scale die-casting machine available on the market worldwide.
   
 “Of course, that created a lot of pressure! The production processwas not easy, but we knew that as long as we could overcome the challenges ofthis technology, we could bring a brand-new production model to the electricvehicle industry”,Liu said.
      
Last year, LK won the “Hong Kong Premier Brand” in the 2019 Hong Kong Top Brand Awards. LKwas also conferred the Equipment and Machinery Design Award for its DCC5000 large-scale intelligent die-casting machinein the 2019 HongKong Awards for Industries. Liu attributes LK’s success to its underlyingmotivation: “We want our customers to get the most benefit because theirsuccess is our success,” he said in the interview.
       
Stepping into the Medical Equipment Market
     
The COVID-19 pandemic has had unexpected results.“Since the flare upof the Sino-US trade disputes in 2018,many manufacturers have adopted await-and-see attitude. Consumer sentiment in the Mainland has greatly reduced,whichhas led to the decline of motor vehicles’ sales volume.At first, we thought thesituation might improve in 2020, but we were unexpectedly faced with theCOVID-19 pandemic,causing a continuing decline in orders”, Liu described.
     
These difficult times have driven Liu to re-examine his business and to set a new direction forLK’s future development. LK has seized the opportunity of surging demand formelt-blown cloth, the core material of making medical masks, “We havecooperated with the City University of Hong Kong to develop melt-blown clothmachines to produce decomposable plastic fabrics in the hope of reducing thepollution caused by traditional disposable masks.”
    
He also sees the silver economy as a new business opportunity. “With the aging population in theMainland, we are planning to expand the production of precision medical instruments and rehabilitation equipment,such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, thermometers and smart wheelchairs,in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the near future. As wecontinue to explore our scope of business, we will keep ourselves abreast ofnational development trends.”
    
During the interview, Liu was always smiling. “I love working more than traveling orentertainment,” he confided;“there is nothing morefulfilling to me than developing a machine.” Perhaps Liu’s love of machineryhas allowed him to continue leading the company after its 40th anniversary,strivingto break new ground and stand out in the industry.

内容来源：香港中华厂商联合会