Du Shuanghua is the chairman of Rizhao Steel Holding Group. Not only does he work hard every day to continue building the strength and competitiveness of his company, but he has also established a solid place among the most successful of China’s entrepreneurs. Part of the reason for that is his strong business sense, but part of it is also the young age at which he started building and developing companies. That gave him an extra edge not held by those who started later in life.
As the commander of Rizhao Steel, he has continued to build on the success he already had with other companies. Rizhao Steel has won a significant number of awards and honours in China and throughout the world. As one of the largest steel manufacturers in China, the company has found itself on the lists of Top 500 Private Enterprises, the Top 500 Manufacturing Enterprises, and Top 500 Overall Enterprises, as well. It continues to be prominent in the industry.
Reforms and Philanthropy
While the company is frequently applauded for its competitive nature, that’s not all that Du Shuanghua has been able to develop from his dedication and focus. His company has undergone many reforms that were specifically designed to ensure that workers at the company receive the care and respect they deserve, so they have more security and peace of mind while doing their jobs. That helps to increase worker productivity, as well.
The workers are what make companies like Rizhao Steel so valuable, and what help Du Shuanghua keep moving forward in the marketplace. He keeps them happy, healthy, and safe, and that helps them want to continue with the work they’re doing for him. It also reduces their chances of wanting to move to a competitor, which adds to the depth of loyalty that workers experience at the company, too. Not only does Du Shuanghua care about his workers, but he also engages in philanthropy on a high level.
That focus has been very notable during his time with Rizhao Steel. The company is generous with donations, having already given around RMB 1 billion Yuan (about $156.8 million), to a number of causes and enterprises that Du Shuanghua believes are important. These include organizations that work toward the alleviation of poverty, and also those that focus on relief and rescue from earthquakes, providing better education, and helping people get good medical care.
Improving the lives of people in his community and throughout his country and the world is an important part of Du Shuanghua’s philanthropic efforts. As he helps people get better educations, they’ll be able to do more for others. Proper medical care will also help people live longer, and keep them working and active, too. Those types of causes are excellent ways for Rizhao Steel to show that it is a company with a heart, and is not just focused on the amount of profit it could make from customers in the steel industry.
By focusing on the biggest and most significant problems the world is facing today, Du Shuanghua understands that the donations he sends, and those that are sent through the company, can have an impact on the day-to-day lives of people who need opportunity, security, safety, and more. Improving people’s lives has a ripple effect, in that it spreads out and allows for those people to help others, and then those people to help even more people who need it. Small changes can make a big difference.
Early Years and Company Development
Born in Beijing, Du Shuanghua was focused on building a name in the steel industry from an early age. He began working in a welded pipe factory mill in 1983. In 1987, at just 22 years of age, he started his own steel pipe company. That was a very bold move for someone so young, but he was committed to making it work. That started his future out strong, and he continued his efforts in order to make sure the company would do well and become competitive quickly.
That company laid the groundwork for what he planned to do, which meshed well with his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to his task. As he worked with the company, it grew rapidly and expanded into a big part of the steel industry in China. He wasn’t satisfied with just one company, though. By 2001, he had a series of steel pipe businesses throughout the country, and they were all interconnected and performing well in the marketplace.
By 2003, Du Shuanghua decided to merge all of them into one company. He had businesses in Guangzhou, Baotou, Tangshan, and other locations. But they were all brought together as one company, which he called Jinghua Innovation Group Co., Ltd. In March of that same year, he also moved toward the future by working with the municipal government of Rizhao in Shandong Province on the creation of Rizhao Steel Holding Group that offered world-class proportions and design.
The mill was impressive by any standards, but it wasn’t just the size of it or the way it was designed. The biggest factor that caused such an impression on everyone was that the mill went from the beginning of construction, all the way through to operation, in just 181 days. At that time, it was considered to be a true marvel of engineering for the steelmaking industry in China. Now, Du Shuanghua has taken everything he has learned through his work in the industry and focused his knowledge on building a strong future.
He continues to move his company forward, and bring the whole of the Chinese steel industry along with it. Competitors want to keep up with what he’s doing, so they work harder and offer more. That keeps him working, as well, to stay ahead of them. In the end, the competition benefits everyone, especially the customers and workers who get great value from the improvements in the industry. Coupled with his philanthropic efforts, Du Shuanghua has truly made a name for himself.
