A declining state-owned enterprise in the late stages of state-owned enterprise cancer, another replica of Hongqi Motors. The quality of the fountain pens currently produced is uneven, and the quality control is average. Compared with before the 1980s, the pens are far different from those before the 1980s.
Hero was originally the Shanghai Huafu Gold Pen Factory. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was a public-private partnership and became a state-owned enterprise. Emerging in the 1950s, due to the integration of the country's stationery industry at that time, Huafu Gold Pen Factory became unique and became the largest stationery state-owned enterprise at that time. A state-owned enterprise succeeds and a state-owned enterprise fails. After the Huafu Gold Pen Factory became the largest stationery company, it received a lot of preferential conditions in the economy, politics, factories, mines, and manpower. Therefore, the success of the Hero Pen is not accidental, and it is not representative, but the Hero Pen itself can also make a fortune. It is said to be a negative teaching material, a show to cater to the Great Leap Forward to show off the country's prestige.
Hero has never been a company that focused on R&D and marketing from the beginning. Hero’s benchmark product is still in an era when there were almost no patent laws. It imitated Parker’s 51 75, and Hero did not win a single one. The models launched are purely independently developed and produced, and the benchmark 100 Hero is now called Hero 100. Since the resin process was not up to standard from the beginning, there has been a problem of detonating rods that has lasted for more than half a century and has not been solved. The success of Hero was to cater to the Great Leap Forward's drive to catch up with the United States and surpass the United Kingdom. Therefore, this company did not focus on business operations, but paid too much attention to political trends, so that the entire company was not on the right track for development. Beginning in the 1980s, after the reform and opening up, in the face of external competition and competition from private enterprises, the heroic pens of yamen-style management gradually declined. Hero has never faced market competition. In the era of Hero's success, you have no choice but Hero pens. Of course, the biggest reason is the general environment.
The invention of the ballpoint pen in the 1950s had a huge impact on the pen market. Mainstream pen brands went bankrupt one after another, such as Will Yongfeng, Waterman, and Parker, which was still known for its high quality and low price at the time. In the 1970s, the remaining international fountain pen brands were transformed and upgraded. It was at this time that Parker officially transformed into a high-end pen brand. Pens were no longer ordinary daily stationery, but turned into luxury accessories. However, the 100 Heroes and 200 Heroes imitated at the same time were still following Parker's old path of high quality and low price, so Heroes missed the best opportunity for transformation.
Fountain pens are an industry that tests manual work. The nibs of high-end pens are polished by hand, which places high demands on workers. Therefore, pens must transform when faced with highly cost-effective ballpoint pens. After the reform and opening up, private enterprises On the one hand, the rise of the Hero Pen Factory poached the skilled workers of the Hero Pen Factory. On the other hand, with the decline of the fountain pen market, various state-owned diseases of the Hero Factory brought a huge burden to the factory. High welfare, low performance, and related welfare for the children of workers. Schools, shops, and housing have gradually lost a large number of skilled workers. New workers, especially workers' children, generally have low standards, which has led to the current predicament.
Hero is currently similar to Hongqi Auto, but the problem is bigger than Hongqi Auto. FAW, the parent company of Hongqi Motors, has strong strength and strong policy support. It is very difficult for Hero to transform from a mass brand to a high-end brand. Of course, the most critical point is that Hero Pen Factory cannot produce eye-catching products.
Hero or Red Flag What we should reflect on is whether the symbolic products produced by the whole country are really meaningful? In fact, there is no need for heroes or red flags to represent anything. As long as it is an excellent product, a product that can adapt to market demand, and a viable independent brand, it is enough.