Zheng Xiukang, Founder Of Kangnai Group, Died Of Invalid Treatment

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It is reported that Zheng Xiukang, a representative of Zhejiang merchants and the founder of Kangnai Group, died in the early morning of April at the age of 76. On the same day, zhenglaili, the daughter of zhengxiukang, announced the death of her father on the social platform, and the official website of Kangnai Group was also replaced with black and white.

A generation of "shoe king" died: he became an apprentice at the age of 33 and produced many people's "first pair of leather shoes"

Zhengxiukang, who originated in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, is one of the leaders in China's footwear industry. Kangnai Group, founded in 1980, has gradually become the leader in China's leather shoes industry after more than 40 years, with an annual production and sales scale of tens of millions of pairs of leather shoes.

In the industry, Zheng Xiukang and Wang Zhentao, founder of Aokang, are known as the two "shoe kings" in the field of leather shoes. He once said: "to do well in every pair of leather shoes is my lifelong pursuit; to let the world know Kangnai is my eternal complex."

A generation of "shoe king" died: Apprentice at 33 years old, producing many people's "first pair of shoes"

From shoemaker to headmaster

In Zheng Xiukang's hometown Wenzhou, there is no lack of treacherous business sea. However, after countless changes of new and old waves, the legend of "shoe king" is still a memorable story of this city.

Zheng Xiukang was born in an ordinary family in Wenzhou in 1947. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 and entered the machinery factory because of his family difficulties.

Later, in order to support his family and establish a career, Zheng Xiukang began to contact the leather shoes industry as an apprentice at the age of 33.

In 1980, Zheng Xiukang made a very bold decision to ask the factory to suspend salary and stay on duty, and founded the "red elephant leather shoes workshop", which was also the predecessor of Kangnai Group later.

Because he entered the leather shoes industry relatively late, from the age point of view, he was the "entrepreneur" of Wenzhou shoe industry at that time. Wang Zhentao, the founder of Aokang, who also started his business in the 1980s, was 18 years younger than him.

However, age did not prevent Zheng Xiukang from observing market changes, but made him more calm and sophisticated. In 1985, with the promotion of reform and opening up, the state announced that self-employed enterprises were allowed to run factories. Zheng Xiukang mentioned in an interview earlier that this document was delivered in the morning, and in the afternoon he rushed to register Hongsheng leather shoes factory and registered Hongsheng trademark. The leather shoes of Hongsheng and Hangzhou entered the big cities very quickly.

At this time, Wenzhou leather shoes developed rapidly; But too fast speed, improper competition, also led to chaotic market phenomenon.

On August 8, 1987, Zhejiang Province's industrial and commercial departments seized counterfeit Wenzhou shoes from all over the country, concentrated in the Wulin gate of Hangzhou, and set fire to it, causing a sensation throughout the country. This will Wenzhou shoe industry into the bottom for a while, also brought new thinking to Zheng Xiukang.

He began to go to cities all over the country to investigate more frequently, and then went to Italy, the "shoe capital of the world", to learn industrialized shoe-making technology. After returning to China, he invested 1.2 million yuan for technical transformation, developed and put into operation the first mechanized stretch upper assembly line, creating a precedent for mechanized production in shoe-making industry.

Around 1991, Kangnai was officially founded, and Zheng Xiukang registered the trademark of "human head portrait" which has been used to this day for the company. Its implication is "hope that Wenzhou people will lift their heads".

A generation of "shoe king" died: Apprentice at 33 years old, producing many people's "first pair of shoes"

The story of "shoe king" has gradually spread across the country.

In the second half of 1993, Beijing Wangfujing shopping mall, Xidan shopping mall, Shanghai No. 100 shopping mall, etc. put up banners - "welcome China's top ten shoe kings to enter the stores", and Kangnai became the first Wenzhou leather shoes to enter the shopping malls nationwide.

In the 21st century, in the tide of globalization, Kangnai led by zhengxiukang has successively "heavily invested" in brand promotion and layout in France, the United States and Italy.

On january15,2001, the first Chinese shoe store "Kangnai" quietly appeared in the streets of the 19th block of Paris, the fashion capital. In the more than 50 square meters exclusive store, there are two things that are the most striking - one is the brand name of Kangnai, which is high and high, and the other is the eye-catching words of "made in Wenzhou, China".

A generation of "shoe king" retreated

Yang Yiqing, executive chairman of Zhejiang merchants Research Association and curator of Zhejiang merchants Museum, had one thing that impressed Zheng Xiukang most: enough attention.

Zheng Xiukang, who he knew, was 33 years old, transformed from the post of deputy director of the machinery factory, and then insisted on making leather shoes for decades. "His spirit of concentration, rejection of temptation and dedication to industry is extremely prominent."

In Yang Yiqing's opinion, Kangnai's internationalization is more prominent in Wenzhou shoe enterprises; Its layout in the international market is earlier, which can also be used for reference in promoting China's own brands.

In the past few years, one of the biggest topics of Wenzhou leather shoes began to turn to the replacement of new and old leaders. "The person in charge of many old Wenzhou enterprises is older, and many business chains need young people to take over."

Many media reports have shown that Zheng Xiukang has been teaching the new leader in a way that he has been deeply influenced.

Zheng Laiyi, the son of Zheng Xiukang, recalled that his father, Zheng Xiukang, had just begun to learn how to make shoes the second year after he was born. From primary school, junior high school to high school, except for breakfast, he settled the other two meals in the factory. "I grew up with this company," he said

Zheng Xiuli shows her delicate feelings for her daughter. Zheng Laili had just returned to work in Wenzhou for a few years. He often worked overtime at night. He was not willing to let his daughter drive alone. He was worried about the danger. So he often called the office at night and asked his daughter to wait for him to pick up after work.

At the end of 2010, Zheng Laiyi, then 32, became the general manager of Kangnai Group. Zheng Laili was responsible for the listing and investment of the group. Many people believe that this marks the choice of Zheng Xiukang, the founder of the older generation, to retire to the second tier.

After handing over the baton, "shoe king" turned into the background, and began to pay more attention to how the new leader gradually led the enterprise to transformation and upgrading, and more focused on witnessing how the old Wenzhou enterprise, which almost flourished with the reform and opening up, realized inheritance and change.

Of course, Zheng Xiukang, who lives in the second tier, has not relaxed her attention to the leather shoes industry.

"We've known each other since we started our business in the 1980s. It's been 30 or 40 years." Zheng Guohong, chairman of Wenzhou monlani shoes industry, told the world online merchants that in 2012, Wenzhou organized representatives of leather shoes enterprises to Spain, Italy and other countries to investigate the industry trends, and Zheng Xiukang, who was 65 years old, was also in the same company. "In recent years, we will talk about the company's recent situation and discuss the future development direction of Wenzhou's leather shoes industry. I think it is the new technology that enables the leather shoes, but he seems to pay more attention to the inheritance and innovation of the shoe industry culture and skills."

After learning the news of his old friend Zheng Xiukang's death, Zheng Guohong was deeply saddened.

Many netizens also expressed their condolences. Some netizens said, "zhengxiukang is the first well-known entrepreneur familiar to Wenzhou people. Go well all the way!" Some netizens also said that Kangnai was the first pair of leather shoes he bought decades ago.

Today, Kangnai, developed by zhengxiukang, still maintains vitality in the footwear industry.

In 2020, Kangnai Group attracted more than 4 million people to watch the "brand live day" activity of Taobao live broadcast, and broke into the top of tmall 618 brand shoes hour list. Kangnai's official flagship store of tmall is also a 12-year-old store, and the monthly sales of popular leather shoes exceed 1000 pieces.

In August last year, Kangnai invited Xiao Jingteng and sun Yining to launch the same model of "Guochao Feiyu shoes", which made many people realize that the rumored "Wenzhou leather shoes factory" can still be so fashionable.

Since then, Kangnai leather shoes have entered Hangzhou feique live broadcasting base and continued to add more e-commerce tracks. Zheng Laiyi, the new leader, said that he hoped to further create vertical accounts and carry out in-depth cooperation with various road masters and anchors to naturally spread the brand through soft implantation.

Peach, plum and spring breeze a cup of wine, the lake night rain lamp for ten years. "Raising your head, being honest, burying your head and doing things seriously" may be one of the most valuable successful experiences of a generation of "shoe king" staying in this track.