Foreword:
In our journey through life, there are moments saturated with sweat and effort that become deeply engraved in our memories. Even decades later, we can vividly recall the admission ticket and the acceptance letter from those pivotal times.
There is one term that has witnessed the youthful days of generations and carries the hopes and dreams of countless families.
The college entrance examination! The college entrance examination!
In 1977, after a hiatus of over ten years, the college entrance examination system in China was reinstated, allowing 5.7 million individuals of different ages and from diverse origins and backgrounds to step into examination halls...
The reinstatement of this system marked the dawn of an era filled with dreams, shedding light on China's path forward.
Chambroad's journey mirrors a series of examinations, and today, we continue to answer the questions posed in these metaphorical test halls. Let us take a moment to reflect on Chambroad’s journey and how we have navigated these tests.
Presented below are images capturing the transformation of Chambroad's industrial development. The first image depicts the early days of construction, while the second provides an aerial view of Chambroad's present-day development.
1988: A Time of Trials and Tribulations
Chambroad's First Test
Rewind to 30 years ago, in 1998, students from the Boxing County Technical School stepped out of their classrooms and into a place that was, at the time, a blank canvas. The factory had yet to be built. By the Spring Festival of 1992, aside from a few simple dwellings and four rows of newly constructed dormitories, there was nothing—no perimeter wall, no office building, just a vast expanse barren land and a few fish ponds.
"Through trials and tribulations, we refine and achieve greatness". There was no duty room at the construction site, so a simple straw shed was erected. Regardless of the weather, there were people on duty around the clock.
The Boxing County Lubrication Grease Factory, with fewer than 200 employees at the time, represented the first "scorecard" for the older generation of Chambroad in this series of examinations. The test began in 1988 and concluded in 1992, and the factory served as an internship facility for the Boxing County Technical School.
On December 29, 1992, the first set of production equipment, which is a normal decompression device for first-time processing and an annual production of 100,000 tons, started operation. In 1994, construction began on the catalytic project. The picture on the right was taken on December 26, 1992, which opened the prelude to the "test" of Chambroad.
1995: Standing on Solid Ground
Management for Benefit
Following the establishment of the facility, "management for benefit" became a compulsory questionfor all employees at Chambroad. Then how to solve this problem? Who will solve it？
Ma Yunsheng stepped into the "examination room" in April 1995, ready to tackle this challenge. He started by reforming the system, paving the way to address this difficult question through a hands-on and diligent approach. The lights in the Lubrication Grease Factory's office building were on until midnight almost every day. Ma Yunsheng spent countless nights pondering the future development of the company. In less than six months, the company introduced 137 official documents, covering everything from employee development to salary system reform, touching on all aspects of the company's development.
That year, Ma Yunsheng's efforts turned the loss-making enterprise into a profitable one, pioneering a path of public-private partnership development.
2003: Grasp the Nettle
What Kind of Enterprise Does Chambroad Want to Be?
Preparedness ensures success and unpreparedness spells failure. In 2000, Chambroad faced another "essay question": What kind of enterprise does it want to be? Ma Yunsheng's answer was clear and definitive: "An enterprise that serves the society and the country". The idea of serving the country and the society through industrial development began to take root in the hearts of Chambroad's employees.
In addition to this primary question, that year, Ma Yunsheng posed three "bonus questions" for the company: 1. Lead the Chambroad team to achieve 500 million yuan in profits and taxes within five years; 2. Increase the average annual income of Chambroad employees to 50,000 yuan; 3. Ensure that 100 Chambroad families could afford a car by the end of 2005. Remarkably, all three goals were achieved by 2003, demonstrating the company's remarkable ability to achieve its objectives.
Guard against arrogance and impatience in good times; remain unyielding and work diligently in adversities.
In this year, Ma Yunsheng, the examinee, demonstrated his commitment to prioritizing the well-being of employees, society, and the nation. His responses to the three additional challenges can be encapsulated in a single concept: altruism. This altruistic approach is manifested in his dedication to serving the country, society, employees, and ensuring the happiness and well-being of their families.
2003: Grander Vision
The Enlightenment from Chambroad's Diversification
Entering the 1990s, the overall strategic behavior of Chinese enterprises underwent a tremendous transformation, with diversification becoming the dominant strategic approach of the decade. After 1992, diversification became the main strategy for both listed companies and private enterprises, reaching its peak by the end of the 1990s.
Faced with the challenge of diversifying the enterprise, Ma Yunsheng, the examinee, proclaimed, "If we dare not even think about something, how can we go about doing it? And if we don't take action, how can we do it well? Since we have started, if we can't be the first, we must strive for excellence."
In 2009, Chambroad Industrial Park initiated its second expansion and started planning for the Petrochemical East Area Project. At that time, Xiangchi and Bohai of Boxing County were already considering various factors to invest and build factories along the coast. When many were uncertain about whether Chambroad should invest and build factories outside its home base, Ma Yunsheng resolutely stated, "Chambroad's roots and home are in Boxing."
Thus, the development of Chambroad has become increasingly intertwined with the local societal development and the well-being of its people. Each step in Chambroad's growth journey has seemed "impossible", yet it is these "impossibilities" that have shaped Chambroad into what it is today.
That year, with the guidance of Ma Yunsheng, Chambroad was transformed into a diversified group encompassing four major sectors and nine industries. Chambroad established five promotion channels, and with a focus on "work, life and growth", it creates a 360° growth platform. The altruistic culture system, with employees and customers at its core, provided a strong momentum for industrial development, and Chambroad's culture of benevolence and filial piety became a powerful brand supporting the enterprise's growth.
2010: Public Responsibility
"With great power comes great responsibility." - The Charity Work of Chambroad
The maturity of a corporation is not measured by its capital accumulation, but by its willingness to voluntarily undertake its societal responsibilities. Similarly, a person's success is not determined by wealth, but by their courage to shoulder societal responsibilities. Charity serves a dual purpose: fulfilling a social responsibility and catering to the need for self-improvement. Ma Yunsheng, taking his exam of life, states, "In discussing my life's pursuits, two major aspects occupy a significant portion of my life's strategy. The first is to cultivate a hundred entrepreneurs within my lifetime; the second is to create wealth and give back to society."
In August 2010, to better advance charitable causes, Ma Yunsheng initiated Binzhou LeAn Filial Piety Charity Foundation (later developed into Charity and Filial Piety Commercial Foundation of LeAn Shandong).
"Remembering our roots and giving back to society" is not only a cultural and spiritual heritage; it is a duty and responsibility for each one of us. Contributing wealth to society is as crucial as generating wealth for national and societal progress. Ma Yunsheng reflects, "Although I actively advocate and participate in these charitable endeavors, I always believe that what I have done is still not enough compared to the support and opportunities provided to me by the party, the country, and all sectors of society. With the capabilities granted to me, I can and should contribute more to charity, social harmony, and the well-being of the people."
Over the years, Chambroad has embraced a corporate culture rooted in benevolence and filial piety, actively fulfilling its corporate social responsibility. The company has conducted systematic and sustained charitable activities in education, with the Red Cross, and in disaster relief, earning widespread acclaim from the society.
In this particular year, under Ma Yunsheng's guidance, Charity and Filial Piety Commercial Foundation of LeAn Shandong has become a significant force in public welfare, and Chambroad's charitable initiatives have received recognition and praise at both societal and national levels. Charitable acts, Ma Yunsheng believes, should become a natural and spontaneous part of our behavior, guided by a heartfelt inclination towards goodness. Maintaining a conscious commitment to good deeds is paramount. Engaging in charity is not about seeking fame; it's about accepting responsibility and doing what is right and necessary.
2014: Collaborative Development
Chambroad improved the quality of development through globalization.
Going global is an important restructuring initiative of Chambroad. Embracing the transition to new methodologies and structural adjustments, the company has navigated the currents of economic globalization. Capitalizing on both domestic and international markets and resources, Chambroad is striving for sustainable growth and innovation.
During the G20 in November 2014, Ma Yunsheng visited Tasmania, Australia to participate in an investment forum. Chambroad, drawing upon traditional Chinese cultural wisdom for enterprise management, garnered attention and sparked discussions among journalists and attendees from various countries. The company's altruistic philosophy and the charm of Chinese culture were highly praised by the Australian hosts and participants.
In the context of Sino-Australian connectivity, Ma Yunsheng shared Chambroad’s vision for collaboration. He emphasized the importance of seizing new cooperative opportunities, planning investments in Australia based on the altruistic developmental perspective of traditional Chinese culture—helping others achieve their goals while pursuing one's own. Chambroad aspires to integrate into Tasmania, contributing to mutual prosperity in Sino-Australian relations and around the globe. The company has planned and invested across various sectors including vocational education cooperation, agricultural industry collaboration, port construction, and mineral resources. With local government support, Chambroad initiated a hotel management education project in Clarence City in 2016. In 2017, Binzhou City and Clarence City signed a letter of intent to establish a friendly city relationship, creating a platform for deeper economic, cultural, and artistic collaboration.
In the wave of cultural globalization, Chambroad respects the diversity of culture while upholding the uniqueness of Chinese culture, integrating the best of various cultures for its own use.
In 2014, with the support of Ma Yunsheng, Chambroad Group initiated a vocational education partnership with the State of Tasmania. Subsequently, the company engaged in comprehensive cooperation with the United States, Russia, Germany, Finland and other countries in education, technology, talent development, and project management. This marked a significant acceleration in Chambroad's journey toward internationalization.
2017: Unified Efforts
The Chambroad Dream
In the new stage of development, Ma Yunsheng led the people of Chambroad to tackle a challenge: The implementation of the 6523 project and the 3035 plan.
The overarching development theme for the Group in 2017 was captured succinctly as "Stability, Innovation, Safety, Environment, Brand 2017!" Within this framework, the 6523 project and the 3035 plan were meticulously executed. The Group's ambitious targets included achieving sales revenue of 60 billion yuan, profit tax of 5 billion yuan, and a net profit of 2 billion yuan. With 3 billion yuan in paid taxes, the Group aimed to surpass a target of 3.5 billion yuan.
Ma Yunsheng, with great conviction, stated that the people of Chambroad should work in unison to not only ensure the growth and success of Chambroad itself but also to contribute to the development and prosperity of Boxing County. This aligns with the "Chambroad Dream"—an aspirational vision encompassing the well-being of the elderly, educational opportunities for children aged 0-18, and an enhanced medical insurance system. By aligning industrial growth with national service and societal contributions, Chambroad seeks to present a commendable performance report in celebration of the successful convening of the 19th National Congress!
Editorial：
Today marks a significant milestone as nearly ten million candidates across the nation step into examination halls. While an exam paper is no longer the sole determinant of one’s destiny, nor the only key to success and growth, it nevertheless embodies the heartfelt vows of youth to live up to their potential. It also reflects the hopes and expectations of our nation and its people for a brighter future.
Throughout Chambroad's journey, the company has faced numerous major and minor tests, demonstrating multivating results. The progress is evident, not only in terms of industrial achievements, where Chambroad has focused on building strength and resilience, but also in terms of cultural development. The company views the growth of its employees as its most valuable asset, ensuring their development is safeguarded through comprehensive systems and measures. Chambroad strives to seamlessly integrate the company, its employees, their families, customers, the nation, and society at large, creating strong bonds among all these stakeholders.
Past achievements are just that - the past. Looking forward, we are armed with even greater confidence to face the "big tests" ahead. Chambroad is committed, capable, and confident in contributing positively to the development of the enterprise, the growth of our employees, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers, the strength of our nation, and the well-being of society.
The highest realm of enterprise management lies in cultivating corporate culture, grounded in a solid foundation of management philosophy. Chambroad aspires to do more than just deliver satisfactory products; we are confident in our ability to export not just high-quality goods, but also the rich and profound culture of our nation, epitomized by principles such as "unity of man and nature" and harmonious values.
June 7, 2017