Source: Xinhua News Agency
Paris Olympics | Chinese barbell products make four appearances on the Olympic stage
Shijiazhuang, July 23 (Xinhua) -- As the Paris Olympics approaches, Zhang Yi, the deputy general manager of Hebei Zhangkong Barbell Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Zhangkong Barbell Company), will conduct daily drills with the company's technical personnel to prepare for various unexpected situations that may occur on the field, wiping barbells with the "ZKC" logo, quickly assembling barbell rods, barbell plates, and clamps, and deploying technical emergency response measures.
Zhang Yi's Zhangkong Barbell Company is a professional enterprise located in Botou City, Hebei Province, which integrates the design, production, manufacturing of weightlifting equipment and venue construction services. After years of development, it has grown from a small rural workshop to a leading enterprise in the industry, becoming a drafting unit for national weightlifting equipment standards and a partner of the International Weightlifting Federation.
In 1983, Zhang Kong Barbell Company was established in the rural area of Botou. The first factory was converted from a bungalow in the village, and the machines were old equipment purchased. The company only had more than 10 employees, and in addition to barbells, it also produced weightlifting aids such as weightlifting tables and squat frames. At the beginning of 2000, the company's products began to sell well in many parts of China.
We hope our products can go global and gain higher recognition, "said Zhang Zhiguo, the head of the company. In 2005, Zhang Kong Barbell Company moved into Botou City and subsequently established a technical research and development team. They allocate at least 15% of their annual sales revenue to research and development, continuously breaking through in areas such as raw materials, production processes, and techniques.
The reporter learned from the interview that material tuning during the heat treatment process of barbell bars is a difficult point. Some European and American companies have accumulated a lot of process experience and excellent product performance due to their long establishment time. Through continuous scientific research and experimentation, Zhangkong Barbell Company's products have gradually approached the world's leading level, and in the process of expanding overseas markets, it has continuously improved customers' trust in "Made in China".
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the "Zhang Kong barbell" made its debut on the Olympic stage, breaking the history of Japanese companies monopolizing the supply of barbells for six Olympic Games. To enter the Olympic Games, one must first obtain certification from the International Federation of Weights and Measures. We overcame numerous difficulties, applied for and obtained equipment certification from the International Federation of Weights and Measures, and obtained the "entry ticket" to the Olympics, achieving a breakthrough for Chinese enterprises, "said Zhang Zhiguo.
The Beijing, Rio, and Tokyo Olympics, along with the Paris Olympics, have made Zhangkong Barbell Company a sports equipment supplier that has served the Olympics four times. The continuous improvement of product technology content is an important reason why this Chinese enterprise is favored: before the Rio Olympics, the company independently designed and developed a press machine, and the new integrated pressing technology not only accelerated production but also solved various deviation problems; After the Tokyo Olympics, the company improved the rubber formula of the barbell plates, reduced weight errors, and achieved a bending value of less than 0.2 millimeters for the axis of the barbell during the competition; For the Paris Olympics, the company has innovated the assembly structure of the weightlifting platform in the training venue, making it more stable and reliable.
In early August, Zhang Yi will lead a technical team of 17 people from the company to Paris. Zhang Yi said, "There are many veterans who have served the Olympics in the team, as well as many novices. We hope that both the product and the team can perform well and showcase 'Chinese power' in another way
