A row of European standard electronic lock durability testers are operating in an orderly manner in the Xiaolan Hardware Lock Testing Centre. [Photo by Xia Shengquan]

"Now the testing center serves not only Xiaolan local enterprises, but also dozens of enterprises from Shenzhen and other places every month. In addition, lock-making enterprises all over the country also have samples tested here, and even some Southeast Asian countries, only recognize the test results of our center," said Feng Xiuying, General Manager of Zhongshan Xiaolan Hardware Testing Service Co Ltd.

At present, Xiaolan lock accounts for more than one-third of the export of lock products across the country, and a half of the domestic market share.

After years of development, Xiaolan Town has formed an industrial cluster with lock-making industry as the leading role and a relatively complete range of products and accessories from upstream to downstream. In July 2018, Xiaolan Town was awarded the title of "China Intelligent Lock Industry Base" by the China Hardware Association, and gradually found the key to open the "quality and sales doors", realizing industrial transformation and upgrading.

According to the reports of the Zhongshan Lock Association, there are currently more than 150 intelligent lock manufacturing enterprises in Xiaolan Town, which can generate nearly 10 billion yuan output and produce 2 million sets of intelligent locks per year.

In order to improve the product quality control among hardware lock enterprises, in 2006, the Zhongshan Lock Association set up the Xiaolan Hardware Lock Testing Center, whose services include lock testing by American standards, European standards, national standards, and industry standards, and whose comprehensive technical capacity ranks among the forefront of the national peers.

After years of efforts, qualification rate Xiaolan lock products rose to 93.7%.

Feng Xiuying believes that in the past, "Xiaolan Lock" and "Xiaolan Hardware" developed in a more"group-oriented" manner. Now, in order to further promote the development of the two regional brands and collective trademarks, the "three-cluster" model of "cluster display", "cluster sales" and "cluster innovation" has been adopted to open up new markets.

In the upcoming October, the Zhongshan Lock Association will organize the "2019 Zhongshan Xiaolan Hardware Lock Expo" in the Xiaolan Hardware International Purchasing Center, which will attract nearly 200 famous enterprises in the industry as well as tens of thousands of experts from home and abroad.