In ancient times, Gongshu Ziyu carved wood to create a magpie, which flew for three days without landing. Today, there is Takuzhu in the South China Sea, thriving through additive manufacturing (3D printing) in the Lingbiao region. In five years, their products have spread across the world, with countries competing to purchase them, akin to the ancient mystical jade and red knives. Observing their craftsmanship, Xiaoshi Gong remarked that their precision surpasses that of ghostly artisans, and their speed exceeds that of thunder and lightning, exclaiming: since the reform and opening up of the past sixty years (1980s), the transformation of Chinese manufacturing has reached its peak!
The founder, Tao Ye, hails from Luzhou and studied celestial mechanics at the Guozijian (University of Science and Technology of China). After graduation, he traveled to Germany and obtained a doctorate in physics. At that time, DJI was just beginning to shine, and upon returning to China, Tao joined their ranks, rising from a technician to a product manager, where he developed various “Yufeng” devices, contributing to 60% of DJI’s annual revenue.
In the winter of the Gengzi year (end of 2020), he suddenly left his prominent position, taking five former colleagues to establish the Takuzhu Workshop. Some doubted him, but Tao resolutely stated: “A man should ride the winds and break the waves, how can one remain stagnant beneath others for long?” He vowed: “I will establish standards for additive manufacturing on the sandy shores, to set a precedent for the world.”
Initially, Takuzhu operated in secrecy in Bao’an Fanfang (Nanshan District, Shenzhen) for twenty-two months, exhausting their funds and advancing on ten fronts. By the autumn of the Renyin year (autumn 2022), they finally produced the “Bamboo Rhythm X1.” This device can simultaneously extrude sixteen colors of filament, with a production speed three times that of conventional devices. Westerners were astonished, calling it the “iPhone of the additive manufacturing world.” Launched on a crowdfunding platform, it garnered fifty million yuan in the first month, breaking Western crowdfunding records.
In the following year, the Guiyin year (2023), they produced the “Micro Bamboo A1,” priced at only 1,200 yuan, allowing what was once a thousand-gold device to enter the homes of ordinary people. That year, they achieved a revenue of 2.7 billion yuan, with a net profit of 700 million. By the Jiachen year (2024), revenue doubled to 6 billion yuan, a feat that took DJI nine years to achieve, while Takuzhu accomplished it in just four.
Tao established “MakerWorld,” offering substantial rewards to attract skilled craftsmen from around the world. Those proficient in modeling can upload designs, while those with less skill can take molds from them, with top talents earning up to 500,000 yuan annually. Additionally, he created “Face Groups” (Facebook groups) in various Western countries, where he often mingles incognito to gather public opinions for improving their products.
His management of production is particularly strict; he does not rely on ready-made factories in the Pearl River Delta but has set up a secret factory in Dongguan. He appointed trusted individuals to guard the entrance, preventing even the factory owner from entering. Every component, from motors and chips to tiny screws, is monitored and accounted for meticulously. This has led to a 70% reduction in the cost of industrial precision instruments, leaving competitors unable to replicate their devices.
Now, observing the distribution of Takuzhu’s products, they reach as far west as the United States and Canada, east to Germany and Italy, and south to Australia. Tao has expressed his ambition: “I aim to capture 90% of the global market.” Judging by their momentum, this does not seem like an empty boast.
Xiaoshi Gong remarked: I have witnessed the rise and fall of Huaqiangbei (Huaqiangbei Electronics Market) since the Jiazi year (1980s), which began as a place for imitation. However, after four hundred years of component development, it has finally become a marvel of “producing designs by day and mass production by night.” Traveling north to Longhua Foxconn (Foxconn Longhua Base), I observed the continuous advancement of contract manufacturing techniques. As for Huawei’s HiSilicon (HiSilicon Semiconductor) developing chips and DJI manufacturing drones, they all showcase the progress of Chinese manufacturing.
Now, between Xili, Qianhai, and Houhai, companies like Anker, Yingshi, Shaoyin, and Takuzhu are emerging. In the Jiachen year (2024), their foreign revenue is projected as follows: Anker 23.8 billion yuan, Yingshi 4.2 billion, Shaoyin 4.9 billion, all impressing foreign clients with their remarkable technologies. From the imitations of Huaqiangbei to the standards set by Takuzhu, over forty years have passed, and we finally see Chinese craftsmen establishing benchmarks for the world. As the poem says: “Though Zhou was an old state, its destiny is renewed.” Indeed!