Faced with unfamiliar markets, diverse cultures and strong competitors, how can small and medium-sized enterprises avoid being “acclimatized” and find their own course in the “turbulence” of going overseas?
Liang Danxin, general manager of Guangdong Lidenuo Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Lideno”), gave the answer: It is necessary to “raise one’s head” to see the direction of the east wind, and “lower one’s head” to polish one’s own quality and brand.
This company started from a one-meter counter in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen, and has become the helmsman of a leading foreign trade enterprise in the field of global charging and smart power strips. With its nearly two decades of overseas experience, this company has vividly interpreted an evolutionary picture from “passive order taking” to “active layout”, from “low price impulse” to “brand overseas”.
Looking back on the development history of Lidno, its overseas trajectory did not happen overnight, but it has experienced a strategic upgrade from “passive” to “active”.
“It can be said that we went overseas passively at the beginning.” Liang Danxin recalled that in the early years, relying on international electronics markets such as Shenzhen Huaqiangbei and Guangzhou Nanfang Building, buyers from all over the world took the initiative to “come”.
Taking advantage of the foreign trade dividends after China’s accession to the WTO, Lidno naturally embarked on the road to overseas.
But being passive does not mean being blind.
When competition intensifies and the company transforms from OEM and ODM to private brands, every market choice of Lidno reflects its ability of “precise positioning”.
Southeast Asia was their first stop, and now it has become the brand’s most mature and deeply rooted market, contributing considerable revenue.
When talking about why the European and American markets, which seemed to be more profitable, were not given priority, Liang Danxin said frankly: “In the early days, we were more driven by orders, and we focused on increasing production capacity.” But behind this, it is actually a precise grasp of the market rhythm.
Now, Lidno is setting its sights on the next growth pole – Central Asia.
“We are now taking the initiative to expand in Central Asia.” Liang Danxin said firmly.
This transformation stems from keen insights into market data.
Through exhibitions such as the Canton Fair and the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, he found that the number of merchants from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries has grown rapidly in the past three or four years.
After research, Lidno judged that this is an emerging market with great potential for the brand.
“Why don’t we spend more efforts in the Middle East? Because our brands and products are close to saturation there, and the reinvestment-output ratio is not high. But if we invest in Central Asia, the same investment will grow faster.” This is also a strategic choice and positioning.
Liang Danxin believes that to a certain extent, Lidno’s strategy in Central Asia can replicate the successful experience of Southeast Asia: being the first to enter, establish brand recognition, and seize the market high ground.
This strategic vision from passively accepting orders to proactively selecting and deploying emerging markets in advance enables Lidno to still find its own growth curve in different market cycles and maintain the continued vitality of the company.
“Dongfeng” is a word that Liang Danxin mentioned repeatedly. He summarized the current environment as “the moment when the east wind is strong.”
This wind includes three levels: the east wind of policy, the east wind of market demand and the east wind of industrial foundation.
Liang Danxin keenly observed that this year, governments at all levels from Foshan City to Nanhai District have placed “going overseas” in a prominent position.
Foshan City has deployed the “Buddhist Goods Global Tour” operation, and Nanhai District has launched the “Global Tour of 100 Groups” plan, and at the same time unveiled a cross-border e-commerce product selection center.
This top-down joint effort has given Lidno, which has been deeply involved in overseas markets for many years, a real boost.
However, what excites Liang Danxin even more is the market’s “strong demand”.
Taking the five Central Asian countries as an example, he pointed out that the total import and export value between China and Central Asian countries will exceed US$100 billion in 2025, and will maintain positive growth for five consecutive years.
Central Asia has developed rapidly in recent years, and Kazakhstan’s per capita GDP is the same as China’s.
“The foundation of light industry over there is relatively weak, and many electronic products, home furnishings, and small household appliances rely on imports, so our products have just met this demand.” Liang Danxin revealed that Lidno’s own sales data is more intuitive
Confirming this, “In the past few years, in the five Central Asian countries, our sales have basically grown at a rate of 30% to 40%.”
This “east wind” did not come out of thin air. It is based on the deep industrial foundation of Nanhai, Foshan.
Liang Danxin believes that the government’s precise policies have obviously undergone in-depth research.
Nanhai and Guicheng are important production bases for the above-mentioned popular imported products.
When market demand matches the advantages of local industries, a huge resonance effect will occur.
Policies are no longer castles in the air, but “tickets” tailored for enterprises.
From a business perspective, this change in government service awareness is particularly valuable.
Liang Danxin lamented: “It is obvious that the thoughtful service awareness from the urban area to the street government can effectively empower and solve problems for enterprises.”
If precise market positioning determines how fast a company can go, then adhering to brand and quality determines how far a company can go.
Liang Danxin has an unforgettable experience of this.
In the early years of Lidno’s ODM business as a card reader, although it ranked first in global shipments, profits were slim and customer stickiness was extremely low. “Customers can find your factory to OEM, or they can find another factory with a lower price.” This concern made Lidno determined: “When switching to chargers, we must make our own brand.”
In the Southeast Asian market, Lidno was one of the first merchants to use the company name as a brand name in Huaqiang North and South Buildings.
This advanced brand awareness has won them the recognition and trust of customers.
Lidno has always believed that maintaining brand reputation lies in excellent quality and continuous technological innovation.
Faced with the rapid “involution” of the charger market from low-power products such as 12 watts and 18 watts into the Red Sea, Lidno decisively adjusted its course and increased its R&D investment to 8% of total sales, focusing on high-power fast charging products of 100 watts, 140 watts and even 240 watts.
“Although its sales volume is not as large as that of 18-watt or 20-watt products, its profits are more considerable and the unit price is relatively high.” In 2025, despite a slight decline in sales, Lidno’s sales and profits have achieved significant growth.
This is the result of building a moat through technology and quality.
This pursuit of quality is reflected in every detail.
From product certification covering many countries around the world, rigorous 8-hour aging test, to dozens of stability tests such as resistance to falling, swinging, and salt spray, every new product in Lidno’s laboratory must go through “thousands of tempers.”
Even for areas with unstable voltages such as Central Asia and the Middle East, they are already prepared, and their products are suitable for a wide range of voltages from 90 volts to 260 volts.
Liang Danxin believes that the best way to deal with market “involution” is not to follow price cuts, but to create differentiation.
Whether it is the globally accepted interchangeable plug design, the charger with night light function, or the smart power strip with integrated fast charging port, they are all manifestations of Lidno’s long-term principle of “going global with quality” and “going global with brand”.
For small and medium-sized enterprises that are in the “from 0 to 1” stage of overseas expansion, this “veteran” who has been deeply involved in overseas markets for many years gave two suggestions: First, export your brand and quality overseas, and do not engage in price wars; second, you must have long-term plans and do not think about making quick money in the short term.
“The volume price has no future, and differentiation from peers is the best way to go.” Liang Danxin believes that the current three “east winds” of policy, market, and industry are the best time for Chinese companies, especially those in manufacturing hubs such as Foshan and Nanhai, to go global.
Lidno always believes that as long as it adheres to long-termism and brings mature domestic operating experience and high-quality products to emerging markets, it will be able to find its own vast world in this wave of “going overseas”.
