Secretary Wu Chengmin Studio of Shandong Kaitai Group Co., Ltd. has been selected as an excellent Party Secretary Studio in emerging fields at the provincial level.

Shandong Kaitai Group Co., Ltd.

Wu Chengmin Secretary Studio

Provincial Excellent Party Secretary Studio in Emerging Fields

Recently, the Working Committee for Non-Public Economic Organizations and Social Organizations of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee announced the list of outstanding Party Secretary Studios in emerging fields at the provincial level. The Party Secretary Studio led by Wu Chengmin from Shandong Kaitai Group Co., Ltd. was successfully selected. This honor marks a new milestone for Shandong Kaitai Group in the development of Party building work in non-public enterprises, and is also a high recognition of the persistent efforts and innovative spirit of all Kaitai staff represented by Comrade Wu Chengmin.

Wu Chengmin currently serves as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Shandong Kaitai Group. Over the past 25 years, he has been a backbone of the enterprise's operation and management, as well as a core promoter of the enterprise's Party building work. Looking back, his journey reflects the original aspiration and sense of responsibility of a Party worker in a non-public enterprise, and also witnesses the rise of a Chinese national brand as it expands from a township business to the global stage.

01 Forging Ahead and Overcoming Challenges While Upholding the Original Aspiration and Mission

Stepping into Wu Chengmin's office, the first thing that catches the eye is piles of books on his desk and the bookshelf behind him — including books on Party building theories, enterprise management, industry technologies and more. These various books are neatly arranged, occupying almost all available space.

Manager Wu's desk

Wang Ruiguo, Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Shandong Kaitai Group, often says that Director Wu's office does not look like the workplace of a senior corporate executive, but rather a small library. Wu Chengmin remarks: "The more you read a book, the thinner it becomes; the more you contemplate truths, the deeper they grow. When carrying out Party building work and running an enterprise, one cannot have true confidence without a solid foundation of knowledge from books." To the staff of Kaitai, this Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee always exudes a calm demeanour — a poise nurtured by the fragrance of books and a steadfastness cultivated by theoretical learning.

This scholarly temperament has accompanied his 25 years of journey alongside Kaitai Group.

General Manager Wu in the early days of Kaitai's founding

In 2001, Wu Chengmin joined the newly established Zouping Kaitai Metal Abrasives Company. Though he had graduated from school by then, his aspiration to join the Communist Party of China never faded. This original aspiration kindled back in his school years sustained him through the arduous early days of the business, enabling him to never give up and stay committed during countless days and nights of tackling technical challenges.

In 2003, he became a formal member of the Party Branch of Zouping Kaitai Metal Abrasives Co., Ltd. Back then, Kaitai had only three Party members. They raised the first Party flag right on the workshop floor, laying the foundational "red heritage" for the enterprise's development.

The biggest hurdle for Kaitai in its early stage was technology. During the heat treatment of metal abrasives, the steel shot kept turning dull and failed to meet brightness standards. Wu Chengmin immediately set off to seek guidance from Shandong University, looking for Professor Liu Ruwei, known as "the top expert in China's steel shot industry".

Mr. Wu and Professor Liu attend the exhibition

Wu Chengmin made numerous trips between Zouping and Jinan, repeatedly visiting to seek advice. His persistence eventually won over this industry authority. Professor Liu was invited to the Kaitai workshop, where the two conducted experiments together, adjusting process parameters time and again. After more than 100 experiments in total, they finally solved the problem of surface brightness for steel shot after heat treatment. Later, Wu Chengmin joked: "The brightness of the steel shot was achieved through persistent efforts."

Kaitai Metal Abrasives Establishes Its Industry Standing

Technological breakthroughs have opened the door to the market. Guided by the entrepreneurial spirit of "extraordinary diligence, extraordinary combat readiness, extraordinary dedication, and extraordinary perseverance in tackling key problems", Wu Chengmin and his founding team traveled extensively to connect with markets, universities and associations, recruit talented people and upgrade technologies, evolving into the core team driving the company's development.

Recruiting at the talent market

In 2007, the output of metallic abrasives rose to the forefront of the industry. Kaitai firmly established its leading position in the metallic abrasives industry, accomplishing its first leap from "starting from scratch" to "an industry benchmark".His political growth from a Party membership applicant to a formal Communist Party member went hand in hand with the company's initial development. It was these core Party members who were exceptionally hardworking. Without any prior technical experience, they laid the foundational groundwork for the business from nothing through firm resolve and a down-to-earth work ethic.

02 Achieving Global Layout with the Guidance of Party Building

In 2008, Kaitai officially entered the field of complete shot blasting and peening equipment. At that time, the domestic shot blasting and peening equipment industry was virtually a blank slate—lacking technical accumulation, mature products and market recognition. Kaitai faced a situation of starting from scratch.

Faced with this difficult predicament of three major deficiencies, Wu Chengmin put forward the call of "Party members take the lead". With Party members in the vanguard and core employees following suit, numerous technical hurdles were overcome one after another, ranging from drawing design and prototype manufacturing to single-machine commissioning and whole-line linkage testing. A full range of product lines was gradually established.

Delving into equipment operation at the customer site

In light of the actual development of shot blasting machinery, we have vigorously explored workshop-based Party building, adopting the "Five Frontlines" working method: establishing Party organizations on the frontlines, conducting Party organizational activities on the frontlines, cultivating Party member talents on the frontlines, exerting Party members' roles on the frontlines, and providing care and support on the frontlines. This approach invigorates the vitality of the enterprise's Party organization, builds an excellent contingent of Party member employees, and supports the innovative development of the enterprise.

By 2012, Kaitai had become a leading domestic supplier of shot blasting and peening equipment, accomplishing its second leap from a "leader in metallic abrasives" to a "powerhouse in equipment manufacturing".

The leapfrog development of the enterprise drove the synchronous upgrading of its Party organization. In 2012, the General Party Branch of Shandong Kaitai Group was established, with Wu Chengmin serving as Deputy Secretary of the General Party Branch. The growth of the Party organization resonated in tandem with the expansion of the enterprise.

Closing Ceremony for Kaitai's Overseas Company Acquisition

As Kaitai continues to expand its overseas business, Party building work is also facing a new challenge of extending from the domestic base to overseas locations. Faced with unfamiliar international rules and complex cross-cultural management issues, Wu Chengmin keenly recognized that overseas expansion cannot rely solely on capital and technology, but also on organizational cohesion and political guidance.

He extensively reads books on international enterprise management and cross-cultural communication, while repeatedly studying documents related to the Party's internationalization strategy, to forge a global development path tailored for Kaitai through integrating theory with practice.

Carrying the Party Flag into the Market

Kaitai accelerated its globalisation strategy comprehensively from 2012 to 2016, completing a series of acquisitions of internationally renowned enterprises including the Netherlands-based Aybott, Cybo, Australia's Barwon, and Finland's Boliden. Faced with new challenges arising from its overseas expansion, Wu Chengmin put forward the Party building guideline in a timely manner: "Moving far away from hometown but never departing from the Party, venturing into global markets with the Party flag held high". It was specified that the development of Party organisations would underpin the steady and sound progress of international operations. In 2017, Kaitai established its first overseas Party branch, effectively implementing the principle that "where the industry expands, the Party branch shall be built accordingly".

The Party Committee of Shandong Kaitai Group Co., Ltd. was formally established

In 2018, the Party Committee of Shandong Kaitai Group Co., Ltd. was officially founded, establishing a "1+6" organizational structure and continuously strengthening the political guiding role of the Party. Guided by this philosophy, Kaitai has made steady and solid progress in its international development. At present, the Group has set up branches in 12 countries, with products sold to more than 150 countries and regions worldwide, successfully accomplishing its third leap from an industry leader to a global pacesetter.

03 Enhancing the Kaitai Brand Through the Integration of Party Building and Business Development

In November 2025, the Secretary Wu Chengmin Studio was recognized as a provincial-level outstanding Party Secretary Studio in emerging fields by the Social Work Department of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee. Wu Chengmin has also been appointed as a member of the Expert Committee of the China Machinery Industry Staff Ideological and Political Work Research Association, an expert in the Binzhou Social Work Expert Database of Shandong Province, and a Party building lecturer for emerging fields in Zouping City. In May 2014, he was awarded the title of core member of the R&D and innovation team for shot blasting equipment and materials engineering technology of Shandong Kaitai Group by the Organization Department of the CPC Binzhou Municipal Committee.

From an internal Party affairs cadre of an enterprise to the leader of a provincial-level Party building studio, Wu Chengmin has expanded his work from serving a single enterprise to sharing experience for regional Party building in non-public-owned enterprises, achieving a major leap in personal value.

Introducing Kaitai Digitalization to the delegation from the United Front Work Department of the Provincial Party Committee

Wu Chengmin’s bookshelf keeps expanding, covering fields including Party building theories, macroeconomics, and digital transformation. He says: “Times are changing, and we cannot keep up with the situation without reading.” He does not read for show; every book finds practical application in the Party building and business operations of Kaitai.

Introducing the talent development initiatives of Kaitai Group to the delegation from the Shandong Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce

As globalization enters an in-depth development stage, the Party Committee of Kaitai Group, based on the actual conditions of the enterprise, has innovatively developed an in-depth integration mechanism for Party building and business operations featuring "coupling, empowerment and symbiosis". Centered on the "Six Integrations", Party building work has been fully embedded into all aspects of corporate governance: integrated into decision-making and management, production and operation, scientific and technological research and development, global layout, talent team development, and cultural guidance. By embedding the Party's leadership into every aspect of corporate development and governance, the Group ensures that Party building work advances in tandem with business management.

Study Party building knowledge with Party members and cadres of Kaitai

Wu Chengmin has a clear and firm vision for the future: "We will fully apply new-generation information technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data and AI to empower the high-end equipment manufacturing industry, and strive to become a global leader in our niche field. We will drive high-quality corporate development through high-quality Party building, and continuously strengthen our role as a benchmark model for non-public enterprise Party building in the region."

Leading Party members and cadres in revisiting the Party admission oath

Over the past 25 years, Kaitai has grown from just 3 Party members to 102, evolving from a Party branch to a general Party branch and then to a Party committee, and transforming from a small township factory into a global industry leader. Its development history is a story of striving where Party building and corporate development advance side by side. Technological breakthroughs in the founding period laid the industrial foundation of the enterprise. Party building provided steady support during the internationalization phase to facilitate its global layout. The integration of Party building and business operations as well as joint development with employees are now writing a new chapter for Kaitai's growth.