"Our general manager has gone to Dubai. This is his fourth trip there, and this time he will discuss the cooperation details," Zhang Liuhai, the deputy general manager of Sichuan Hobbies Baby Products Co., Ltd., told the reporter on April 15. The company is making great efforts to deal with the tariff challenges.
Sichuan Hobbies Baby Products Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hobbies") is located in Sandaoqiao Industrial Park, Longchang City. It is an export enterprise that manufactures baby products such as Baby Cribs and strollers. Integrating research and development, production, sales, and service, the company has obtained 42 domestic patents, and its products are sold to countries and regions like the United States, Europe, and Central and South America.
"80% of the company's export products are shipped to the United States," Zhang Liuhai revealed. Currently, affected by the additional tariffs imposed by the United States, although the order volume has decreased by more than 60% year-on-year, the enterprise is still operating normally. If the negotiations regarding the overseas warehouse in Dubai go smoothly, the problems brought about by the impact of the additional tariffs imposed by the United States will be resolved. It is worth mentioning that in order to expand into the European and Middle Eastern markets, Hobbies launched the construction of a production project with an annual output of 1.4 million baby products last year. To stand out in the fierce market competition, the company has been vigorously promoting technological innovation and equipment upgrading this year.
"We have purchased 4 brand-new laser cutting machines. After the raw materials are cut, they can quickly become semi-finished products, which greatly improves the production efficiency and significantly enhances the product quality. The company has also introduced automatic cotton cutting machines, effectively reducing the production cost," Zhang Liuhai introduced. The products after the technological upgrade are more competitive in the market, injecting new vitality into the development of the enterprise.
Entering the production workshop of Hobbies, the rumbling sound of machines can be heard. The workers skillfully operate the equipment and carefully assemble the components into exquisite baby cribs and strollers. On the assembly line, the workers are busy gluing the bandages onto the baby cribs with great proficiency. This year, the company plans to launch four or five new products. Among them, the multifunctional baby playpen that can be retracted with one click skillfully combines comfort and fun; the baby trailer that can be used during outdoor camping is also very popular in the overseas market.
Wang Gang, the production manager of Hobbies, introduced that the company is stepping up efforts to explore foreign markets other than the United States. The general manager of the company is leading the business team to discuss products with customers in Dubai. At the same time, the Korean customer developed by the company in 2024 is also conducting intensive on-site product testing. "This customer is also a globally serviced customer, and it is expected that the first batch of orders will arrive in late May," Wang Gang said. The company's R&D department is also working hard on product diversification. In the future, in line with customer needs, it will also speed up the launch of new products such as children's dining chairs and new strollers, trying every means to stabilize the order volume.