SupplySide Global Experience China: Tairui Pharmaceutical

by Jon Benninger, Vice President, VIRGOs Health & Nutrition

Thursday morning began with an early drive to the headquarters of Tairui Pharmaceutical in Yucheng. The 600,000-square-meter campus is where they manufacture B vitamins and APIs for animal health. Though only formed 13 years ago, the company already employs nearly 3,500 people and is poised to go public. Because our time here is short and we have a lot of ground to cover, we skip the formalities and dive right into the work.

We begin with Heather Granato interviewing Degwn Chen, director and general manager of their Kingvit Pharmaceutical business that makes the B vitamins. I then get a chance to talk with their CEO and president Wang Yi. He explains how their growth and success has been based on culture of the highest standards. Our tour of their facilities will really show what he means.

We break into two teams, with Heather and Scott covering the B vitamin manufacturing and with me, Pierce and Allen covering the APIs. My piece begins with some Q and A on their investment in quality systems, which is going fine until the fireworks begin. Yes, actual fireworks. it seems that someone nearby has gotten married and they are shooting off fireworks as part of the celebration. We have a chuckle and then start over, putting us a little behind our tight schedule.

We jump into cars and drive across the campus to their production operation for the APIs. The fermentation technology that Tairui has developed is very impressive, and the operation is massive. They give us access to the entire process, including their R&D labs, production, QA/QC, and packaging. The investment they've made is obvious and impressive. It will be a key part of our story in the documentary.

Our teams meet up at the entrance to the headquarters, and Heather and I mic up and shoot a wrap-up segment summarizing the day. We get it right on our first take, but just before we finish some nearby background noise compromises the sound so we do it again. It's better the second time.

We managed to get back on schedule and have time for lunch with Tairui executive team. The meal included mutton famous from area, duck and mushroom soup, cordyceps flowers, a wide array of vegetables, and the best bowl of noodles I've had in my life. Midway through the meal, a few people realize that our videographer Allen had appeared in the popular Chinese TV show Xiao Ba Ba and they start taking photos with him. This has actually happened a few times on our trip, and has become a recurring source of friendly joking for all of us.

After saying our goodbyes, we head to the airport for our flight to Beijing, while Pierce and Allen drive to the new Tairui facility to get some footage. Their flight is later and gives them the time to get this footage for us. We will land in Beijing around 7:30 p.m. and plan for an early night because we are leaving at 6 a.m. to drive to the Great Wall for our next film shoot. It has been another incredible day.