Wrench Maker Chang Loon Succeeds by Investing Steadily in R&D
Patented products also help to buoy the maker through rough goings
2013/08/28 | By Steve ChuangChang Loon started out making low-end hand tools on an OEM (original equipment manufacturing) basis in 1978 in Taiwan's central county of Changhua, having gathered ample manufacturing and metalworking skills. Backed by years of continuous improvements of production capability, the company is fully capable of turning out mid-to-high-end wrenches with design, specification and torque ratings meeting international standards, such as ANSI and DIN.
One of Chang Loon's functionally-significant tools is its ratchet wrenches, which are of chrome vanadium steel hot drop-forged and heat treated for extended life and marketable appeal. But what sets it apart from typical models is the precise, practical 72-teeth ratchet. Such feature truly enables users to work in tight spaces as each click of the wrench rotates through five degrees, a feature wanted by auto mechanics, plumbers, and any tradesman. Plus the improved 72-teeth ratchet reduces the need for labor input.
Chang Loon's wrenches are also marketable for their structural design, as well as close tolerance. The combination of practical features is key to placing Chang Loon in the lead in Taiwan as foreign buyers recognize its high quality.
Sound R&D
Chang Loon claims to have succeeded and grown by investing steadily in R&D, also adhering to standard operating procedures to turn out consistently high quality products.
Firstly and to make sure the R&D process is effectively carried out according to current specifications and market trends, the management and supervisors are also part of the R&D team to be actively involved in all decision-making.
To achieve maximum utility and marketability, Chang Loon provides newly-developed hand tools to users on a trial basis and then, based on feedback, rounds out rough edges continually till the tools are considered ready for launch.
Paying attention to packaging design is another reason for success as well as integral part of the company's R&D strategy, which differs from typical industry practice. The company offers ready-to-display packaging options as a value-added service. Clients often prefer ordering from Chang Loon for its packaging comes with eye-catching looks and functions that help achieve better sales.
One of the most popular packaging solutions Chang Loon provides is the transparent packaging that exposes clearly each wrench to not only catch consumer attention by showing high quality. The eco-sensitive company is also known for using packaging made of recycled paper in optimal weight, merits of which are well-recognized by European buyers. The strategy has opened a new window for Chang Loon to promote high quality hand tools worldwide, helping the company to lead the sector in Taiwan by shipping the most wrenches.
Chang Loon also has ideas and inventions patented in the United States, Germany, Japan, China, and Taiwan, which help to enhance product value in different ways. The company has weathered several years of intense rivalry from Chinese makers and the global financial tsunami by religiously investing in R&D, also having built solid overseas footholds in Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Canada, and the U.S. for over a decade.