|
|
 |
|
|
Business life in full bloom
From civil engineer to orchid emperor, Huang Wei-pin works hard to bring a sense of beauty and pleasure to people
Xie Fang
Shanghai_Star
page08 2006-6-29
Just a year ago, Huang Weipin's life kept him running between different construction sites, working as an experienced civil engineer. Since then, the 48-year-old Taiwanese man has developed green fingers, devoting himself entirely to cultivating orchids in Shanghai.
Such dramatic life changes are not for everyone, but the vice-president of the Chungding Biotech Shanghai Co, Ltd (CBS) has every bit of confidence in his abilities.
"To my knowledge, none of the orchid breeders on either side of the straits have previous academic training. What matters is time and a desire to learn. Nothing is impossible," Huang said.
Orchid emperor
Huang said annual sales of orchids in Shanghai came to about 800,000 plants, with CBS ranked top -- raising 150,000 plants per year -- among 10 Taiwanese horticultural companies based in the city. For this reason, Huang has acquired the nickname "king of the orchid empire."
While most people would take great pleasure in wandering through greenhouses filled with thousands of spectacular pink orchids, Huang seems too pre-occupied to appreciate the scene -- he is thinking about the future.
"It takes three years to grow an orchid, in other words, we are planting not for next year, but for 2008. It is difficult to predict the market so far ahead due to the many uncertainties," he sighed.
The market for orchids is on the rise worldwide. The flowers have become increasingly popular in the United States, Europe and Asia. Last year orchids became the best-selling flower in the Netherlands, a country which often exemplifies the trend in European flower consumption.
Besides the orchid's stunning appearance, its long flowering season of five months has helped to improve its popularity. Most flowers only bloom for less than one month.
Huang likes orchids, but he believes a good businessman ignores his personal preference.
"If you like something, it doesn't mean the masses feel the same. You have to concentrate on what your customers want," he said.
Tastes in orchids come in many varieties, with striking regional differences. For instance, Chinese people like pink or red orchids, seen as bringing good luck, while Japanese and American people prefer white ones. Most Chinese purchase the glorious flowers for New Year's gifts, while Westerners buy them all year around.
"The best sales season for orchids in Shanghai is a week before the Spring Festival. Orders flood in and up to 80 per cent of our plants are sold during that period, at prices ranging from 50 to 150 yuan (US$6.25 - 18.75)," Huang explained.
"So the key to this business is getting the orchids to blossom on schedule. If they flower too far before the Spring Festival, or too late, the price declines dramatically -- 3 years of hard work can be destroyed in a moment. Accordingly, I become quite nervous as New Year approaches," he added.
Hothouse flowers
Generally speaking, Shanghai is not an ideal place to cultivate orchids, because of the shortage of sunshine. Greenhouses are rather essential.
Huang is extremely sensitive about temperatures in his 15,000- square-metre greenhouse.
He said a high temperature is needed to raise the seedlings: 28 to 30 degrees in the daytime and 24 to 26 degrees at night.
"But the temperatures should be lowered a bit if you want them to blossom. The plants feel threatened by the change of environment so they have to propagate the new generation," he said.
For Huang's business, nothing could be more disastrous than a power cut. If it happened in the summer, temperatures would rocket to 50 degrees in an hour. No orchid could survive such a calamity.
"Superficially, cultivating orchids seems pleasant enough, but we are under more pressure than people imagine, while aesthetic feeling for the flowers disappears automatically," he admitted.
He doesn't expect to see the orchids in full blossom, because they should be out of the greenhouse by then.
"The disappearance of all the orchids from the greenhouse is my real business goal."
Huang likes to go to the showroom, where customers can order what they like.
He supervises his staff as they package the orchids, advising them to cover it with white yarn in order to protect the flower inside, as if he was dressing a daughter who was leaving home for her wedding ceremony. He even tells the driver to reduce his speed to prevent the flowers from suffering "traffic-sickness."
Huang invites people to return the orchids after they cease flowering.
"It is like when a woman gives birth, she gets weaker and deserves good care to help her recover. I enjoy looking after these plants that have brought pleasure to people, waiting for their next flowering season," Huang said with a smile.
He even provides a "boarding school" for the flowers if their owners don't have enough time to take care of them properly.
Huang rarely goes downtown to explore city life. He spends far more time visiting other professionals, learning about the business.
There is only one potted orchid in his office, not much for the "king of the orchid empire," but Huang says its enough. There are thousands of orchids close to his heart, never withering as time passes by. |
|
|
|
|
