“The localization of sensors not only reduces costs but also ensures technological independence, providing reliable support for overseas railway projects under the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative.” Shanghai Hawick Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd., located in Quyang, has achieved a significant technological breakthrough in railway safety monitoring by successfully developing domestically produced infrared photon sensors, addressing the long-standing reliance on imports.
Core Technology Localization: Breaking Foreign Monopoly
Founded in August 2023, Shanghai Hawick is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harbin National Railway Technology Group Co., Ltd. (stock code: 688459 on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board), focusing on the development of sensors for detecting faults in railway freight car bearings. The company’s core product, an infrared photon sensor based on cadmium telluride materials, is a key component of the infrared axle temperature intelligent detection system (THDS) for railway vehicles. This system is classified as mandatory safety equipment for national railway freight lines, used for real-time monitoring of train bearing temperatures to prevent derailment accidents caused by bearing failures.
Executive Director Wang Keke cited the 2023 Ohio train derailment incident as an example to explain the functionality of the company’s products. The cause of the derailment was the overheating of bearings that went undetected. “Our country has achieved full coverage monitoring every 30 kilometers through the THDS system.”
Shanghai Hawick collaborated with the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to achieve domestic replacement of unit and 4-element devices through intellectual property transfer and independent research and development by the first quarter of 2025, breaking the technical blockade on 8-element linear array devices, becoming the first company in the country to master this technology. The company has built a clean laboratory with a standard of 1000-level local and 10,000-level overall, along with an autonomous production platform, further consolidating supply chain security.
Government-Enterprise Collaboration: From Implementation to Growth
“Our products mainly rely on the research results of the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We want to be closer to the upstream and downstream industries, so we chose Hongkou, Shanghai.” Hawick, which has traveled from Harbin, values the regional and talent advantages here, with numerous universities nearby, making recruitment and employment very convenient.
The rapid development of the enterprise is also inseparable from the precise services of Hongkou. The District Science and Technology Economic Committee provides full support in registration, site selection, and policy guidance, while the Quyang Road Subdistrict helps solve practical problems through party-building cooperation and enterprise research. Wang Keke stated, “The ‘shopkeeper’ spirit of Hongkou makes us feel the efficiency and warmth of the Shanghai government.”
Leveraging the many advantages of Hongkou, Shanghai Hawick plans to expand its R&D team and deepen cooperation with universities such as Tongji University and Fudan University to promote the application of infrared technology in more industrial scenarios. The company is also targeting the potential of the civilian market, exploring cross-industry applications of high-speed temperature measurement technology in fields such as healthcare and energy. In addition, Hongkou District is accelerating the development of the smart instruments and testing equipment industry, with Shanghai Hawick as an important member, further integrating into the regional innovation ecosystem.
The growth journey of Shanghai Hawick is not only a microcosm of state-owned enterprises’ technological self-reliance and self-improvement but also showcases the practical results of Hongkou District empowering enterprises through services and driving industries through innovation. With the large-scale application of domestically produced sensors, it is believed that the safety defense line of China’s railways will be further strengthened.
Source: Shanghai Hongkou, Street Business Office
Golden Quyang
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