Solarzoom PV solar energy net report    In the corner of Mudu town, Suzhou, located a PV mounting system company--Suzhou Radiant Photovoltaic Technology CO., Ltd. You can’t imagine it keeps the growth rate of 500% each year if only judging from its humble office.

 

　　One Sunny day in March, The Journalist came into VP Konley Zheng office to start a conversation. He talked with smile,“lots of people are wondering why we have so much attractiveness, which can be favored by Marubeni, one of four trading companies in Japan、Solar frontier、Tokyo energy and other partners. With the same question, the Journalist tried to find out sth called “character and advantage”.

Root Japan High-end market

The Journalist: could you please introduce Radiant development history and current situation?

　　Konley Zheng: Suzhou Radiant, founded in 2009, has started to sell PV racking since 2011, mainly for Australia market, extended to Malaysia and Japan in 2012. The market in Japan is prominent, where we have established many customer channels, and set up branch in Oct. 2013.

　　More than 100MW projects were operated in Japan last year, it contains 80% ground mount system and 20% rooftop system. More than 70% company earnings come from Japan. This year, Japan is still our important market; besides, domestic projects will be operated, too.

　　The Journalist:  what kind of way do you use to enter Japanese market? What are the partners?

Konley Zheng: a lot of enterprises in Japan don’t trust Chinese company warranty period, it is also very difficult to ensure some enterprises to exist in this industry for more than 20 years, so our initial market strategy in Japan is guarantee and trust, making power station builder and owner trust to use Radiant products. With cooperating with Marubeni in last year together, towards the largest enterprise in Japan, we got success and rooted there.

In addition, our partners also contain Tokyo Energy and Solar Frontier, which are larger manufacturers and power station developers in Japanese market.

　　The most important reason that we can establish good relationship with the above enterprises, is the product features and company integrity. Radiant use trust to guarantee customers to use our products, and therefore rejected several projects in Japan. Years of experience tell us, the enterprise couldn’t be recognized by market with luck, complete the project together, consider the coexistence of risk together. This year Japan snowed heavily, Radiant PV racking in Japan are all no problem. Many people asked me reasons, actually it is what I want to say – Radiant will share experience with each customer, advising clients how to prevent the risk.

　　The Journalist: what about the market situation in Japan?

 

　　Konley Zheng: Since last year, as the local products price drops in Japan, especially the influx of China enterprises, bringing about intensive market competition and price stress. Therefore, we also adjust the market strategy, invest our own PV power station and also prepare to construct more than 30MW projects, now work is under way intensively.

 

　　China is the next market commanding height

 

　　The Journalist: Radiant did very well in Japan, whether to consider entering the market in China?

Konley Zheng: With the adjustment of FIT and market shrank in Japan, the industrial PV market won't last too long. But China is different, with distribution policy introducing, domestic PV market will have a positive development, which we are quite bullish on. In 2014, we will plan the domestic market. China will become next commanding height of PV market, entering domestic market is the inevitable trend for company development.

The Journalist: Will the successful mode in Japan be applied in China?

Konley Zheng: The condition between China and Japan is different, also with the business mode. We won’t apply mode in Japan to China, absolutely, because PV racking operation mode in Japan is totally different from China.

 

　　The Journalist: what’s Radiant plan this year?

 

　　Konley Zheng: Japan is still our important market this year. PV mount system predicts about 300MW, about 40MW projects have been done in first quarter, with 160MW signing.

 

　　About 14,000 square meter workshop and office building are in construction and will be formally completed in June this year. At that time, Radiant annual production capacity will exceed 500MW.

 

　　On the rooftop of new factory, we will build more than 500KW PV power station. Meanwhile, we’ll contract to build about 50MW distributed PV power generation, and have signed intension agreement with many owners.

The Journalist: What’s your feeling about these years in Radiant?

 

　　Konley Zheng: I’m fortunate to get into this field early, gathered so much experience. From the start to now, Radiant operate smoothly, but also full of hardship, including product & market development and brand cultivation.

 

　　First of all, Radiant has spent much energy on product concept design, approval, tests and certification. However, many domestic enterprises adopt "copinism" to take a shortcut, bringing about lower price and affecting our creativity sometimes. Secondly, the process of brand cultivation is very long. Finally, Radiant creates a new generation of products, we insist on it without the brand influence.

Interview postscript:

　　Konley Zheng is domestic outstanding figures in PV mount system field, many insiders describe him -- "racking concept that he defined, never be exceeded". Now some enterprises still use his design concept.

Stepping into new company, Konley and his team have been keeping creative, new design, new patents, new mode...He said, "Our unique product function is by putting site construction experience into the design, it can’t be created only in the office."

　　Some people say, the brand charm and value comes from unbending effort. The imitator is always follower, although imitate fast.