STORY: Innovation helps China's time-honored ink brand thrive
SHOOTING DATE: Dec. 25, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 27, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:23
LOCATION: TIANJIN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the ink company
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
3. various of the ink company
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): TIAN ZHIHUA, R&D engineer of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
5. various of the ink company
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
7. various of the ink company
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.

STORYLINE:

Stepping into Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd., one is greeted by the scent of ink.

Founded in 1935 and recognized as a China Time-honored Brand in 2006, the company is reviving its nearly 90-year-old brand with colored inks.

Its products feature traditional Chinese elements, vibrant ink sacks, and customized inks for overseas customers.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
"This product comes with a gift box of traditional Chinese colors, shaped like a peony flower. The inks are suitable for beginner-level paintings. We introduced this product in August 2022 and have sold over 5,000 sets out of 6,000 produced."

Like many other ink producers, the company was hit hard by the rise of neutral pens, autopens, and internet development over the past two decades.

But it has managed to bounce back these years through restructuring, R&D, innovation, and expanding its sales channels to reach younger consumers.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): TIAN ZHIHUA, R&D engineer of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
"Our colored inks have developed rapidly in recent years. Our products have grown from just over a dozen colors to many more colors for different uses now. We also speed up updates and innovation based on market trends and demands."

Relying on its traditions, the brand has boosted innovation and research, and also aims for foreign markets.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
"We started to take orders from the United Nations in the second half of last year, and we made about 1.7 million yuan (237,823 USD) worth of orders with them. We also made over one million yuan (139,896 USD) worth of orders with Russia. In addition, we hit the markets in Tokyo and New York. Together, they added up to more than 3 million yuan (420,000 USD)."

Thanks to an open mindset, the company's turnover rose by 29 percent this year. A new automated ink sack production workshop will be put into use soon. Qiang shares priorities for the company's next steps.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUANG QIANG, General manager of Tianjin Ostrich-ink Co., Ltd.
"First, we will increase our investment in the student market; second, we will collaborate on some new intellectual properties (IP) next year, and also increase our investment in the cultural and creative market in the future; third, we will increase our exports, which I think is also a market that cannot be underestimated in the future."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin, China.
(XHTV)