Anbao 30th Anniversary Special | Transformation: From Trading to Manufacturing, Dreams Come True

2026-07-01

In 1999, the Chinese government issued the ban on white disposable foam tableware, imposing strict restrictions on highly polluting foam tableware products. The era of traditional foam tableware came to an end, while eco-friendly paper containers ushered in a booming market opportunity.

While engaging in newsprint trading, Chairman Xiao Nan spotted this promising business prospect. At that time, a golden opportunity arose: Sichuan Xinyi Paper Products Co., Ltd., a former joint venture co-founded by listed firm Changjiang Packaging and Mr. Chan from Singapore, suffered successive years of losses due to poor operation and was put up for lease.

Having spent years working in state-owned enterprises, Chairman Xiao Nan had long nurtured a dream of running a factory of his own. He therefore leased the plant at an annual rent of 1.48 million RMB, embarking on Anbao’s journey into manufacturing.

The road of entrepreneurship has never been smooth sailing, and crises struck abruptly in the early stage of transformation. The factory suffered a severe loss in its first year of operation, losing more than 700,000 RMB within twelve months. With an annual rental cost of 1.48 million RMB and a loss of over 700,000 RMB, Chairman Xiao Nan did a quick calculation and realized he could have earned more than 700,000 RMB if he had not rented the plant. He thus resolved to build his own factory to fulfill his long-cherished dream. He purchased part of the original equipment from Xinyi and supplemented it with a range of brand-new machinery.

Chengdu Anbao Paper Products Co., Ltd. was officially established on September 3, 2001, laying a solid foundation for the enterprise to take root in manufacturing and forge deep into the real industry.

Anbao was an early entrant to the food packaging industry. Back then, the company was equipped with three German Wiemer forming machines, alongside other die-cutters and slitting machines.

However, professional engineers judged that one of the Wiemer forming machines could not be used for paper bowl production at that time. Drawing on his years of experience, Chairman Xiao Nan calculated moisture tension and conducted repeated debugging and trials, and finally succeeded in putting the equipment into formal paper bowl production.

This transformation from trading to manufacturing marked not only a pivotal turning point in the company’s development, but also the fulfillment of Chairman Xiao Nan’s long-cherished dream. It forged Anbao’s corporate spirit of daring to pioneer, striving fearlessly and rising to challenges, writing a magnificent chapter in its thirty-year journey.

— Anbao 30th Anniversary Special · To Be Continued —