290It’s often said that mobile phones have eliminated flashlights, but there are always those who refuse to believe it.
In a small town called Xidian in Ninghai County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, a group of people have managed to dig up an astonishing gold mine worth 8 billion yuan in annual output in an industry considered to be “sunset”.
The flashlights exported from here account for 60-70% of the country’s total exports, making it the “invisible heart” of China’s flashlight industry.
Image source: Xinhuanet
How do the “laggards” of the smart era survive against all odds?
Once upon a time, flashlight companies in Xidian Town enjoyed smooth sailing. Over 30 years of accumulation led to a complete industrial chain from hardware and molds to oxidation. A new product part could be settled in 24 hours locally, while it would take months elsewhere.
But good times ran into big trouble.
The popularity of smartphones made built-in flashlights a standard feature. The market for traditional flashlights shrank rapidly, leaving less and less room for survival.
To make matters worse, the complex international trade situation in recent years has added insult to injury. Some companies saw their sales drop by 20% in the first quarter this year, and for some, the once-main U.S. market has almost dried up.
The industry stood at a crossroads. Wait for doom, or “fight” for a new path?
The companies in Xidian Town chose the latter.
Image source: Alibaba1688
AI steps in, costs halved, design efficiency skyrockets
Faced with the dilemma, leading company Ruibao Electronics’ strategy was: use technological innovation to widen the road again.
Their first axe struck at the core design process.They introduced an AI design software that completely overturned the traditional process. Now, by inputting parameters based on customer needs, AI can generate renderings for 500 products in half a day.
What does this mean? It means labor costs are slashed by two-thirds!
Previously, adjusting a product design took hours. Now, with AI assistance, it only takes 15 to 25 minutes. Designers are freed from repetitive work and can focus on core creativity and structural innovation.
Image source: Alibaba1688
Earlier this year, a client requested an all-purpose household tool lamp that could provide lighting, emergency functions, a screwdriver, and a life-saving hammer.
In the past, just the design validation would have taken ages. But with AI design assistance, Ruibao quickly innovated in product structure and function, and simultaneously upgraded the appearance. Ultimately, this product hit the market’s pain points and achieved 1.2 million yuan in sales.
Flexible manufacturing: the super factory that responds in 24 hours
Of course, fast design alone isn’t enough; if production can’t keep up, it’s all for nothing.Ruibao’s second axe struck at the production line.
They did something clever: they made the internal structure of products as universal as possible. It’s like building with Lego—the basic modules are fixed, but by combining them differently and changing the shell, you can quickly assemble all kinds of new forms.
No matter what personalized needs overseas clients propose, they can respond quickly, produce on demand, and guarantee high-standard delivery. This “flexible customization” capability directly helped them achieve an 18.1% quarter-on-quarter revenue growth in Q3.
Image source: Alibaba1688
Marketing breakthrough: telling new stories for “old antiques” with short videos
However, good wine also fears a deep alley. How can a traditional product win over new-age consumers?That’s where the globally popular short video platforms come in.
Take Tukeplatformas an example. Its powerful trend-setting ability has become a golden channel for brand exposure.
On Tuke, searching for #campinglight or #emergencylight yields tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of views. Countless users spontaneously share usage scenarios and unboxing videos, creating new consumer hotspots every day.
Image source:Tuke
Ruibao’s third axe struck precisely at the vast short video battlefield.
Since April this year, they have increased investment in short video platforms. Instead of dry product parameter introductions, they showcase product experiences in various scenarios: the vibe of weekend camping, safety during night cycling, self-rescue methods in emergencies... Content is advertising, scenarios are selling points.
They also cooperate with cross-border e-commerce service platforms, using AI technology to generate multi-language short videos for different regions, directly targeting overseas markets and reaching more potential customers.
Image source: Internet
New battlefield for outdoor lighting: how does a lamp become a lifestyle?
From struggling to today’s “city of optoelectronics” with 8 billion yuan annual output, Xidian Town’s success is not just about cost reduction and marketing. The deeper reason is their keen grasp of a global trend:the rise of outdoor lifestyles.
Nowadays, the global outdoor lighting market is steadily growing. According to grandviewresearch, the global outdoor lighting market size is estimated at $17.1 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach $28.4 billion by 2030.
Image source:grandviewresearch
People are no longer satisfied with just illumination. In their hands, flashlights have evolved into outdoor lifestyle solutions:
· Camping lights have built-in Bluetooth speakers, creating atmosphere with light and music;
· Fishing lights are optimized for specific scenarios;
· Emergency outdoor lights have window breakers at the tail, maximizing the sense of security...
Behind these changes is a clear Tuke logic:When a product goes from usable to easy-to-use, and then evolves into an indispensable part of a user’s life scenario, it has succeeded.
Image source: Alibaba1688
Interactive topic:
After reading the story of this small town in Ningbo, Zhejiang, are you inspired?
What product are you working on now, or do you have any good ideas?
Share your product in the comments and let netizens help you see if it has the potential to become the next overseas hit!
