Weihai Yanfeng (OSPWH) | 95Japanese group invests in North China converterWhen Chinese label converter Weihai Yanfeng (OSPWH) was acquired by Japanese group OSP Holdings in 2020, it was the start of a major transformation for both equipment and working processes. Yolanda Wang reportsegistered in 2002, Weihai Yanfeng “The latest digital printing devices on display (OSPWH) is located in Weihai REconomic Development Zone, at Labelexpo Americas 2022 are much faster Shandong Province, China. With a production space of nearly 4,000 sqm, the and more accurate, narrowing the capacity company has 70 employees and an annual turnover of 20 million RMB (2.79 million gap between digital printing and fexo printing USD) in 2021.technology. It certainly makes it diffcult for In its 20-year journey from private enterprise to the acquisition by Japan-based us to choose a new device”OSP Holdings, Weihai Yanfeng has transformed its operations by upgrading both its hardware and software. around 11 sqm per year, in China it is only orders,’ says Fujita. ‘The acquisition of 2-3 sqm per year, so we are very optimistic Weihai Yanfeng was based on the OSPSZ Entering the China market about the future development potential of Group’s decision to set up a new production OSP Holdings was founded in 1927. the Chinese label market.’ base in North China.’ Its main business is in food labels. Fujita Hirokazu continues: ‘It took us After many feld trips and much research, The company’s strategy is to provide nearly two years to prepare the plant, OSP Group acquired Weihai Yanfeng on July a one-stop packaging service, and through including site selection, equipment 1, 2020, which started a new chapter in the years OSP Group has gradually selection, installation, staffng to the Japan-based group’s investment in the expanded into unsupported flm products production. We started production at Chinese market.and folding boxes in addition to its OSPSZ in 2008. OSP group always adheres original label business. to rigorous quality standards, and it has Update and upgradeAs its business developed, OSP Group strong obligations not only to brand owners Why did they choose Weihai Yanfeng? began to actively explore overseas markets. and customers but also to the company and Hirokazu Fujita, the current general China was one of the markets where it its employees.’ manager of Weihai Yanfeng says, ‘We planned to invest. Currently, OSPSZ employs 230 people, did different comparisons and examined In 2006, OSP Group established the and its main business is food labels that trade-offs between building a new plant OSPSZ company in Suzhou, Jiangsu are widely used in convenience stores, and acquisition. Compared with the Suzhou Province, China. supermarkets and logistics. The company factory, which was built from scratch, we Fujita Hirokazu, who is in charge of has also set up branches in Beijing, Qingdao considered that Weihai Yanfeng’s production production in OSPSZ, tells Labels & and Shanghai. equipment and technical personnel were Labeling: ‘Before formally investing in the ‘With the development of OSP Group’s more mature, and the company had Chinese market, OSP Group carried out very business in the Chinese market, production accumulated a strong customer base and detailed research. This showed that whereas volume at the Suzhou plant increasingly reputation, so that could quickly meet in Japan per capita label consumption is could not meet the volume of customer the business needs of our company in the Oct - Dec 2022