Green Product and Innovation
R&D Patents and CIP
USI realize that “Innovation” is the key for continuous growth and considers the Intellectual Property (IP) as one of our most important assets. We not only treasure our own IP but also respect all the IP around the world. We actively promote Continuous Improvement Programs (CIP) to encourage employees devoting to continuous improvement and enhance teamwork & enterprise competitiveness.
IP in USI is considered as responsibility of each employee, we not only endeavor to lower the risk of infringement but also encourage the innovation activities internally. Company provides the greatest benefit to all of our stakeholders through the most effective IP management, and devotes itself to create an encouraging environment and management system to protect our IP:
- Secure and well-manage the confidentiality that customers consign
- Promote research and development activities by incentive programs
- Make sure to protect USI's core technologies legally by IP
- Commercialize USI's IP aggressively
- Build up network-based database for knowledge sharing
- Sign confidentiality and IP ownership contract with employees
- Forbid using illegal and unknown-origin software
- Perform entrance guarding and IT equipment management system
- Conduct training programs to advance common consensus with all employees’ participation
USI has 2,332 R&D employees, accounting for 9.42% of the employee population and invested CNY 1.641 billion, accounting for 2.97% of the revenue in 2021. The number of products shipped was 1,000,628,071.
R&D Spending and Intensity:
To encourage research, development, and innovation, USI set up Patent Management and Incentive and regular R&D competitions. After the project has been verified, employees that proposed the patents will be financially rewarded and publicly recognized. By the end of 2021, an accumulative total of 696 patents had been obtained. The patents obtained in the last four years are shown in the figure.
Continuous Improvement Program proposes improvement plans for the quality, costs, lead time, services, efficiency and safety of manufacturing related operation and procedures. Its purposes are as follows:
- Build a platform to realize ideas and approve employees' endeavors and awards
- Encourage employees devoting to continuous improvement
- Enhance teamwork and enterprise competitiveness
After the 2021 annual performance examined and approved by Corporate Review Committee (CRC), the actual tangible cost saving was CNY 78.76 million. The saving cost accounted for 0.22% of revenue and a total of CNY 179 thousand has been reward employees for their commitment to continuous improvement.
Number of CIP Proposals Passed:
In response to the issue of climate change, we have included Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in the rating system and the type of key project to promote relevant green proposals. In 2021, there are two Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction projects awarded.
| Facility | Ranking | Project Name | Key Project Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jinqiao | Bronze Medal |
Heat Recovery System | Improved heat recovery system to recycle thermal energy into the Facility’s air conditioning system, reducing the load on boilers and ice machines, reducing water, electricity and gas consumption, saving 135,306 kWh of electricity annually and reducing carbon emissions by 606 metric tonnes, within estimated annual savings of CNY 1,307,703. |
| Nantou- NK |
Bronze Medal |
Improve the operation of air conditioning tank feed pump | Use pressure sensor with two-way valve modification, with three-way valve and inverter variable flow energy-saving technology, so that the feed water pressure flow supply is stable, maintaining the best operation mode to achieve energy saving and carbon reduction effects, saving 423,948 kWh of electricity annually and reducing carbon emissions by 213 metric tonnes, within estimated annual savings of CNY 195,161. |
