Shandong Bestcare Biotechnology, a company specializing in immune protein in the Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, meets new market trends head-on thanks to its research and innovation capabilities.

The company, established in 2010, focuses on developing immune protein for animals such as sea cucumbers, foxes and fish.

Liu Jinlong, general manager of Bestcare, said that research and development costs will equate to 10 percent of the company's net profit annually in the next few years. The ratio stood at 30 percent during the company's initial stages.

Liu, born in 1962, entered the biotechnology industry in 2008 and launched Bestcare in 2010.

The company has been engaged in immune protein development since its establishment. It was one of the few companies engaged in immune protein development in China at that time, according to Liu.

He said it was very difficult to promote this technology in 2010. However, the positive outcomes resulting from his innovative products supported the company's growth.

"Many aquaculture businesses refused to use my products even though I agreed to supply them immune protein for free," Liu said.

He planned to partner with a listed company to test his products in the initial stages. However, the partnership did not go as smoothly as he expected.

"The company's technology consultants and experts gave a warranty to my products, but the general manager refused to test the new products in their aquaculture farms," Liu said. "You can see how difficult the processes were."

The company's management finally agreed to test Liu's products on a very small number of sea cucumbers in its aquaculture farm. Liu agreed to provide the products for free.

The results surprised the company's decision-makers. The output of sea cucumbers fed with the immune protein was 30 percent higher than the ordinary sea cucumbers.

The company has now become one of Bestcare's key partners, Liu said.

So far, the company has three world-class scientists and 84 doctorate students to support its R D work. Liu said Bestcare has been able to register national-level patents in China every year.

The company will be building a new R D facility at its production base soon. "I have to invest continuously in innovation to maintain a leading role in the market," Liu said.

He plans to add more production lines and expand production capacity in order to lower the company's manufacturing costs in the upcoming years.

Liu Yinghong contributed to this story.

(China Daily 06/08/2017 page12)