As heatwaves scorch Europe, factories in Zhejiang are bustling with activity. From January to May, Zhejiang exported 5 billion yuan worth of umbrellas, accounting for 57.1% of the national total, and exported 4.74 billion yuan worth of air conditioners to 173 countries and regions worldwide... Behind these figures lies the Zhejiang merchants' keen sense of the global demand for summer relief. However, more intriguing than the results is the story of how these deals were secured, one order and one container at a time. Through interviews across three distinct sectors—cooling appliances, water sports, and traditional cooling mats—from noisy production lines to quiet laboratories, we uncover the real logic behind Zhejiang businesses' strategies amidst the world's summer heat.

Competition is Not About Eliminating Rivals

In early July, Chen Haibo, General Manager of Zhejiang Nu Pai Electric Appliances, received an urgent call. A European client, facing widespread unprecedented heatwaves that had depleted all their stock, was desperate: "Do you have any inventory? I'll take everything you have." The client proposed a massive order worth 100 million euros. Chen Haibo declined. "It's not that we didn't want the order; it was simply too late," he explained, calculating that material procurement would take two to three weeks, sea freight another month, plus customs clearance and distribution. "By the time the goods arrived, the European summer would be over." Nu Pai's efforts were focused well before the heatwaves hit. Their summer products began shipping as early as December last year, with all orders completed by March this year, landing on European shelves by May. Mastering the "time gap" in the supply chain is considered a basic skill.

However, establishing a foothold in the European market requires more than just timing. Within the Nu Pai factory complex, there is a laboratory with an investment of over a million yuan. In the electromagnetic compatibility lab, engineers are fine-tuning parameters for a new fan model. "European clients are most concerned about two things: electromagnetic compatibility and environmental standards," Chen noted. The EU enforces extremely strict regulations on electromagnetic radiation and hazardous substance content in appliances. While many small and medium-sized enterprises shy away, Nu Pai chose to confront these challenges head-on—not only participating as a drafting unit for industry standards but also investing in its own全套 testing equipment. "Where the barriers are high, if I can do it and others cannot, that becomes our advantage," Chen stated. He believes competition is not about defeating rivals but about excelling in areas where others cannot.

Nu Pai is not alone. At the Hisense (Zhejiang) Air Conditioning production base in Huzhou, production lines were operating at full capacity early in the year, with免安装 portable air conditioners being prepared and shipped in advance. "Addressing specific European needs, we launched免安装 portable air conditioners, which have been highly popular with local consumers. Orders have been源源不断, keeping our production lines running at full capacity," said Li Yan, production planning负责人 at Hisense (Zhejiang) Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. In the first five months of this year, Hisense's air conditioner exports to Europe exceeded 70 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17%. The key to this success lies in anticipation—not merely producing ahead of time but also提前 researching the target market's regulations and demands, completing all preparations before the peak season arrives.

Maintaining Price Integrity Even with Pending Orders

While cooling appliances compete on "anticipation," the water sports sector competes on "deep cultivation"—establishing a technological moat in a niche market that is difficult for others to quickly replicate. Shi Jun, General Manager of Zhejiang Yiwei Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., has focused since 2019 on bringing electric surfboards from the laboratory to the global market. The electric surfboard developed by his team is the world's first to meet International Motorboating Federation standards. "Our integrated三电合一 technology—motor, electronic control, and battery—is领先 globally," Shi said. However, being领先 does not guarantee sales. Electric surfboards are a niche product with high requirements for water quality. Therefore, based on the same technological platform, they developed a水上方程式卡丁船—a双喷泵驱动 vessel suitable for users aged 8 to 70 and adaptable to various water conditions. This product quickly entered the Dubai market. Last year, Yiwei shipped several containers to Dubai through a Hangzhou-based trading company.

However, the good times were short-lived. With the onset of conflict in the Middle East, a client's annual order for 300 units was pending for over half a year. "The first half of the year has been exhausting," Shi admitted with a苦笑. Despite this, he has no intention of lowering prices to survive. "Product quality is directly proportional to price. A 20,000-yuan boat, if it breaks, can only be discarded. We sell ours for 60,000 yuan, but it lasts. Once customers experience the pitfalls, they know how to choose."

Meanwhile, Hangzhou Huaying Yacht takes a different path—producing large yachts priced from 5-6 million to 35 million yuan. Huaying's confidence stems from its technological积累. Starting with racing boats in 1985, the company has accumulated 40 years of experience in composite materials. "The entire hull is made of玻璃钢, ensuring decades of use without quality issues," said Wang Haiwei. Even as an industry leader, Huaying faces significant external pressures. The U.S.-China trade摩擦 led to a断崖式下跌 in exports to the U.S., forcing the company to adjust its strategy: increasing investment in non-U.S. markets to reduce the U.S. market share from 90% to 60-70%, and shifting product focus towards larger yachts to circumvent tariff restrictions. Deep cultivation in a sector does not mean固守 a single path. When external environments change drastically, true深耕者 can swiftly pivot their market focus and product structure based on their technological积累.

A Production Line Dedicated to a Single Client

While technology and innovation support high value-added products, Zhejiang's summer relief business is not solely about高端 offerings. In Jinhua and Anji, there are those who, in the most朴素的 manner, have turned "summer" into a business that endures for decades. They share a common trait: stickiness—the ability to make clients离不开你. Bao Junjin,负责人 of Dongyang Huirui Industrial Co., Ltd., has focused solely on cooling mat products for over thirty years. This summer, he shipped several containers of bamboo cooling mats to the Philippines—the most affordable type, with a factory price of just nine yuan per piece. What profit can nine yuan bring? Two to three yuan, but volume is key. One container holds 4,000 pieces, and several containers are shipped each summer. These mats use the lowest layer of bamboo, yellowish in color and普通 in texture, yet they are highly popular in the Philippines. "Some areas there suffer extreme heat, but air conditioning is unaffordable. Bamboo mats are cheap and practical. As long as we keep producing, there will always be a market."

For a nine-yuan mat, price advantage and product quality constitute the greatest stickiness. Similarly, a bamboo product enterprise in Anji exemplifies "stickiness." Since transitioning to swivel chair sofas in 2019, this company has retained one constant business: producing bamboo mats for a long-standing South Korean client. This client places annual orders worth hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars. To serve them, the company maintains a dedicated workshop, preserving the entire process from cutting and裁剪 to sewing, edging, and packaging. The client's ordering pattern is unique: never placing the full order at once but instead making分批追加 requests. A shipment in March, additional styles in April, more in May—a single order can be split into over ten processing orders. "They might add 200 pieces today, 300 tomorrow, and we fulfill every request," the company's foreign trade负责人 said.

Their stickiness lies in response speed and customized service. If the client engages in TV shopping, they pack according to TV shopping requirements; if the client sells online, they pack to快递发货 standards—even handling the outer packaging so that upon arrival in South Korea, products can be直接拆箱发货. "In the past, a processing order number could reach 200. Now, there are only about a dozen orders a year, all from the same client," the负责人 noted. Yet, there is no抱怨. The fact that this client returns every year, consistently adding orders, is sufficient. The stories of Huirui and this Anji enterprise offer a启示: rather than constantly seeking new clients, serving an existing one to the极致 makes your business difficult to replace.