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22 Jan 2026On January 17, more than 300 members from the core management teams gathered in Foshan for KEDA Industrial Group's 2025 Business Management Annual Conference for the Ceramic Machinery Business Sector. This year also marked the first joint attendance of the management teams from KEDA Ceramic Machinery and HLT&DLT.
Mr. Xuexian YANG, General Manager:
Reading the Big Picture. Staying Strategically Focused. Writing the Next Chapter.
In his annual work report, GM YANG noted that, despite a complex and volatile global economic environment, the ceramic machinery business delivered strong results. This was achieved through continued efforts in product innovation, market expansion, project investment, and management optimization.
On product innovation, KEDA Ceramic Machinery launched a series of new complete plant solutions for after-kiln lines. These included a single-head intelligent high-efficiency film coating machine, stacking AGVs, and a flexible intelligent picking and packaging system. These products have been successfully adopted by well-known customers in Europe, North Africa, Turkey, and other markets, supporting the industry's shift toward smarter and more high-end manufacturing.
While continuing to upgrade traditional ceramic presses iteratively, the company also expanded into new markets along its capability development roadmap. HLT&DLT and KEDA Ceramic Machinery introduced products such as the YPM1500 soft magnetic press, the YPR5000 refractory brick press, the KDR series isostatic presses, and the KYM series wheel hub forging presses. HLT's second-generation aluminum extrusion press has achieved industry-leading performance in both productivity and energy efficiency.
In ceramic body preparation and firing machinery, both KEDA Ceramic Machinery and HLT&DLT closely followed industry trends and successively launched 5A-standard double-deck kilns, which have been adopted by multiple Chinese ceramic manufacturers. The rollout of several energy-efficient benchmark products further strengthened the company's market position. These included the industry's first double-deck roller kiln for tableware, the KDM524 ultra-high-capacity modular continuous ball mill slurry system, and a new 8-million-Kcal energy-saving vertical fluidized furnace. In the stone machinery segment, high-speed super slim wire saw and premium stone complete plant engineering projects have successfully entered the Italian and Brazilian markets.
Beyond hardware innovation, KEDA Ceramic Machinery also made progress in digital applications for ceramic plants. The company launched the CeramiX IMCS Digital Factory Intelligent Management and Control System, enabling deep integration across management, process, and control layers.
In terms of market expansion, KEDA Ceramic Machinery signed its first complete line order with Lamosa Group, the world's second-largest tile producer. It also secured a complete line project in Saudi Arabia with RAK Group and an antique tile complete line project with Japan's NITTO SEITOSHO. These projects represent major breakthroughs in high-end markets and carry strong global demonstration value.
HLT&DLT signed agreements with Brazil's Grupo Rocha to deliver the country's first complete plant solution white-body tile project. It also partnered with Algeria's HIPPOCAMPE CERAMICA, marking the company's first international tableware complete plant engineering project. With the establishment of KEDA's Brazil subsidiary, the group has accelerated the expansion of its spare parts and consumables business in Brazil. This has led to a rapid increase in market share and successful entry into leading companies such as Delta Brazil. The opening of the KEDA KAMI Turkey ink factory further shortened service response times and strengthened local support capabilities.
On management optimization, GM YANG provided an in-depth overview across 8 key dimensions: the R&D system, lean manufacturing, the procurement system, process management, digitalization, the financial system, the human resources system, and administrative management.
In R&D, the company strengthened its technology leadership by aligning standards for common components, expanding its global intellectual property footprint, advancing the transition from BPD Improvement Weeks to lean design practices, and establishing an innovation-focused R&D fund.
In lean manufacturing, a comprehensive lean system was built, spanning from tool-focused improvement initiatives to self-operated QCC programs. This fostered a culture of continuous improvement and delivered notable gains in production efficiency.
In procurement, a collaborative sourcing model was developed to further optimize the supply chain and highlight KEDA's scale advantages.
In process management, the company adhered to the principle that "process reengineering is transformation", with a clear focus on building a process-driven organization. In digitalization, digital tools were used to empower business growth, advancing the rollout of KEDA Digitalization 3.0.
In human resources, the focus was placed on talent renewal, with 30% of the workforce identified as a key development group to energize the organization.
"For 2026, the ceramic machinery business sector will deeply study and apply the Danaher Business System (DBS), and, through systematic accumulation and refinement, introduce KEDA's own KBS model," GM YANG stated in his presentation on the 2026 strategic positioning and operating strategy. He further outlined the differentiated brand strategies for KEDA Ceramic Machinery, HLT&DLT, ICF & Welko, and Quanitech, along with the 2026 product strategy, global footprint strategy, supply chain strategy, and talent strategy.
Toward the conclusion of his keynote, GM YANG shared the management philosophy for 2026: a commitment to "long-term thinking"; continuous transformation; adherence to "common sense as the guiding principle, with disciplined execution"; persistence in "technology-driven"; ongoing implementation of the “horse-race model simulations”; promotion of "collaborative mechanisms"; a "people-centered" approach; and the application of "a fair and equitable performance-based bonus system supported by a scientific algorithm".
In closing, GM YANG reiterated the importance of upholding our core business values of "relentless effort for the long term, and a contributor-centric approach", and managing the company with "integrity", "pragmatism", and "unity" to ensure healthy and sustainable development.
"In 2025, our competitiveness reached the strongest level in our history. Over the past year, we continued to advance improvements and adjustments, taking another solid step forward on the foundation laid in 2024. This is the result of everyone's collective effort. Thank you all for your hard work over the past year. In 2026, let's write the next chapter together," said GM YANG.
Chairman Mr. Cheng BIAN:
Have the Courage to Face Shortcomings, Challenge Ourselves, and Go Beyond Who We Are Today.
In his closing remarks, Chairman BIAN first noted that KEDA Industrial Group's achievements in the global ceramic and ceramic machinery industry are the result of the combined strength of strategy and culture. He emphasized that KEDA began laying out its long-term strategy more than a decade ago.
"What is strategy?" he asked.
"It is the act of envisioning the future, shaping it, and aligning our present actions accordingly. That is the essence of strategy. Most people operate on seeing is believing, but true strategists live by believing is seeing.” Chairman BIAN stated.
He added that, judging from operating data, the performance of KEDA Industrial Group's ceramic machinery business sector is clearly commendable. However, in the face of success, the company should reflect even more on "what was done wrong and what was not done well". Chairman BIAN further pointed out that at the company’s strategy conference held in Sanya in 2015, KEDA clearly stated its goal of transforming from a ceramic machinery supplier into a global production service provider for building ceramics. "In that same year, we partnered with Sunda Group and began developing international building materials businesses. 10 years later, building materials have grown from nothing to a global leader in capacity, with rapid development. By contrast, while the ceramic machinery business looks impressive in terms of numbers, what we have actually achieved is far from enough."
"To truly build global markets," he stressed, "first, we must have a large number of core employees living and working internationally for the long term. Second, we must hire local sales and service teams, take root locally, and push forward with full commitment." He cited Mr. Chengcai XU of KEDA Turkey as an example, encouraging employees to actively adapt to international life, move away from short-term business trips, and truly embed themselves in local markets. He also highlighted Indonesia as a model market, where dozens of Chinese technical service experts are stationed long-term, alongside more than 300 local Indonesian employees.
"Everyone here must go beyond themselves. True breakthrough starts with mindset. Corporate progress, at its core, is the history of talent renewal. Personal growth is about surpassing the past. If you cannot move beyond who you were, you cannot move forward. Our sales teams, especially in international markets, must break all constraints. If we have reached this point and the business still has no real breakthrough, yet we remain self-satisfied when it is time to question ourselves, then no breakthrough is possible. When our thinking and actions no longer meet development needs, we must have the courage to challenge ourselves. Do not let a few good years make us afraid to face shortcomings or deny ourselves." Chairman BIAN emphasized.
He also noted that short-form video has become an important communication channel in recent years, with several standout examples emerging across the industry. He encouraged everyone to keep pace with the times, embrace the future, and move beyond past approaches by investing more effort in short-form video to better promote the company's products and brand.
In closing, Chairman BIAN said that KEDA Industrial Group remains committed to its corporate culture and strategic direction, and is confident in maintaining steady growth in the current economic environment. "However, on the tactical level, once the direction is clear, our execution must keep up. We cannot be overly lenient. If a battle cannot be won, adjustments must be made. Accountability must be firmly established."
(KEDA Industrial Group)
