Li Weimin-winner of outstanding quality model
Li Weimin, as General Manager of Yankuang Group Co., Ltd., and Chairman of the Board of Yanzhou Coal Mining Co., Ltd., led the company to many       prestigious awards including China Industry Award (exclusive in coal industry), National Excellent Enterprise (Golden Horse Award), Special Award of China Quality & Benefit Advance Enterprise, National Labor Certificate, and National Quest for Excellence Advanced Enterprise. The company is the first one to win both China Quality Management Award and China Quality Vessel in coal industry, the third one to win International Asian Pacific Quality Organization Award, and top the rating list in the global coal industry.

Quality precession at severe situation

In 2012, the rigorous year of coal industry, Yankuang Group realized the output and sales of 113 million tons, the revenue of 100 billion yuan (16 billion US dollars), the assets of 180 billion yuan (28.8 billion US dollars), the profit of 2.3 billion yuan (363 million US dollars), continuous safety production days of 2376 days with output 350 million tons, which reached domestic leading and international advanced level.

 “The quality of management determines the quality of economic operation of business, especially at this severe situation,” said Li Weimin, “the management is to break down the tasks in accordance with the development strategy.”

Li has the firm consciousness of Quality First. He insisted in the ways of TQM oriented, development focused and field management based, developed the strategy with industrial features and modern spirit, supported by quality theory, quality spirit, quality policy and quality brand with Yankuang characteristics.

Li proposed the program of 10 Clean-Up-Grade to improve the internal management and economic operation quality. 16 companies and 3942 agencies were cleaned up by upgraded management and integration, with increasing profit of 95 million yuan (15.2 million US dollars), saving cost of 29 million yuan (4.6 million US dollars), discharging unreasonable staffs of 1370 people, reclaiming assets of 176 million yuan (28.2 million US dollars), and perfecting more than 30 regulations.

Li quests for excellence resulting the outcomes of 100% product qualification and 98% customer satisfaction. He believes in human focus and sincerity, and convinces that quality product and service will bring about customer loyalty and added value. He utilized advanced management and technology, continuously improved quality and customer satisfaction, built up quality projects and competitive brand. He proposed development strategy with three dimensions of industry, region and international, formed 7 bases including, Shandong, Guizhou, Shaanxi Yulin, Xinjiang, Erdos of Inner Mongolia, Australia and Canada.

Gain Profit and Effect Through Upgrading Business

The output and sales of Yankuang Group in 2012 reached 113 million tons, up by 30 million tons as compared with 2011.

Li Weimin believes industry development should focus on quality management. He arranged and optimized the development of multi-businesses including coalmining, coal chemical, equipment manufacture, trade and distribution, and the burgeoning businesses. He established and coordinated the systems of production, organization, collocation, and management, with profits & efficiency oriented.

He optimized the capacities of Shandong, domestic and overseas. 6 of all 8 pairs of wells in Shandong were upgraded as the best safety and efficiency well, at the same time, resolved the difficulty of resident immigration. The output of Shandong reached 37.5 million, and that of domestic and overseas reached 37.8 million, up by 17.95%. The latter’s output of 50.19% of the total surpassed that of Shandong at the first time, which marked the great achievement of strategic resource development.

He grasped the characters of different industries, promoted economic operation quality with science, pertinence and effect. He proposed the pioneering strategy and made the breakthrough at economic scales, international development and new programs, greatly influenced the sub-companies like Donghua, Coal Chemical and Electrolytic Aluminum etc.

Globally Viewing at Crisis

In 2012, Yanzhou Coal Mining Australia Co., Ltd. incorporated with Australia Gloucester Coal Co. Ltd., and listed as the largest Coal Mining in Australia. Yankuang Group became the exclusive Chinese enterprise listed at four places. 9 pairs of coal wells in Australia have the capacity of 4.67 million tons and reserves of 6.25 billion tons. Also potash in Canada showed the great prospects. Yankuang Group was honored as National Advanced Outgoing Enterprise.

A series of successful oversea acquisition reflected his international vision and capital wisdom. He focused the synergistic effects of two resources and two markets, cultivated the international competitiveness. He asserted that internationalization process should take 3 changes: from resource advantage to economy advantage, from domestic to overseas, from investment to human, technology and management.

In 2009, He found the opportunity in crisis, then took over Australia Felix Co., which is the biggest acquisition by domestic business. In 2011, Yankuang purchased Australia Newtec Co. and Preema Coalmine Co. In addition, Yukuang took over Canada potash resource project with the reserves of 39.7 billion tons. Yukuang signed the Agreement of Project Cooperation Framework with Asutralia BRL, achieved the share acquisition of 8.5% and acquired the exploitation right of bauxite resources of 1 billion. Now Yankuang Group is at the highest internationalization level in energy category of domestic enterprises.

Science and Technology promote quality and competitiveness

Yankuang Academician Workstation Inauguration Ceremony was hold in Beijing On Dec. 18, 2012, which marked Yankuang had established a platform for science and innovation. Li Weiming explained, Yankuang would enlarge the input to science and innovation, realize the leap frog development and emphasize the mutual development between company and institute.

Li Weiming paid more attention to play the role of technology innovation at quality management, actively promoted the mechanism of production, education and research, and carried out an integrated technology and management model related to research, production and distribution. He led more than 230 projects ranging from problem solving, technical upgrading, and scientific application, won over 60 honors, acquired 2 patents, published more than 10 books, and presented a dozen of papers above the ministerial level.

In the journey of technology innovation led by Liweiming since 2006, Yankuang fulfilled substantial results including 1 subject of State High-tech Research and Development Plan, 11 subjects of State Major Fundamental Research and Development Plan, 286 scientific award above ministerial level, ranked top in coal industry. Yankuang acquired 278 domestic patents and 7 overseas patents including USA, South Africa and Australia. Yankuang transferred 36 times of technologies with income of 541 million yuan (86.6 million US dollars), such as patent of Two Pilliars Hydraulic Supports to Bucyrus International Inc., and Multi-nozzle Opposed pneumatolism Device to Valero Energy. Yankuang also cooperated with Australia Peabody Energy and realized 3 historical breakthroughs at exporting exploiting technology, coal chemical technology and coal mining technology. Yankuang was recognized as State Technological Innovation Model Enterprise by Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Finance.

Quest for Excellence Through Innovative Quality Management

In 2012, Yankuang Group was ranked No. 129 among China 500 Enterprises, up 10 places as compared with the previous year, and No. 24 among China 100 Multinational Company. Yanzhou Coalmining was honored ANQ Recognition for Excellence in Quality Practice by Asian Network for Quality, which was the first one winning Asian top quality award in coal industry. Yankuang was the first listed coal company assessed as Investment Level by recognized international agency. The company was also awarded the title of Golden Bauhinia by Chinese security agency.

Li Weimin believed that innovative quality management model is indispensable to all achievements. He insisted the quality policy in pursuit of survival, development and benefits. He promoted the change from Made at Yankuang to Innovated at Yankuang, from product to service, from product brand to company brand, so as to maximize the benefit of both customer and company.

He established all-round quality management system from top to bottom and from center to brims, developed quality objective accountability of describing purpose, task and appraisal of quality management among all levels and departments. He set up the three levels quality management departments from group, company to field, which formed quality management team with full time and part time staffs. He chaired 230 regulations including quality standards and control procedures.

He intensified dynamic quality control to all people, all processes and all aspects, which were strict to process control related to product design, purchasing, producing, processing, and distributing, so as to prevent the unqualified item from next process. He consummated quality testing methods, and established periodic analysis system as well as tracking system.

He carried out the integrated management system according to ISO standards including quality, environment, occupational health and safety, in line with performance excellence, lean, 6S, balanced scorecards, formed the catching point of reestablishing management system and be back to management truth.

He cultivated the famous brand with credibility and competitiveness. Yankuang Coal and Yankuang Methanol were elected as Chinese Well-known Trademark. Yankuang Coal was ranked No. 68 among the first Chinese 500 Brands, and recognized inspection-free products by Japan and Korea. Zeshan carbamide was elected as Chinese Famous Brands, and the other 14 products were named as Shandong Famous Brand.