General Manager Mr. Song Shiqiang of Shenzhen SlkorMicro Semicon Co., Ltd.

General Manager Mr. Song Shiqiang of Shenzhen SlkorMicro Semicon Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Slkor”) holds multiple titles, such as member of Electronic Information Expert Database of China Association for Science and Technology, research specialist of Huaqiang North and columnist of Sohu Technology Channel. Two brands “SLKOR” and “Kinghelm” built under his relationship are known and recognized in the industry. In particular, Slkor is specialized in industry of SiC power devices and becomes a technology and new product-oriented hi-tech company.

“Just as real estate which builds house on land, semiconductor means building house on silicon wafer. Since basic production material of information era is semiconductor and integrated circuit industry will be the resources convergence point of future information society, we step into the industry in a sincere and modest manner, to support development of Chinese integrated circuit!” It is the reason given by Slkor’s General Manager Mr. Song about his stepping into semiconductor industry from real estate industry.

How this great entrepreneur, who achieves remarkable entrepreneurship achievements and contributes a lot in both commercial and literary fields, engages into the world of semiconductor and run business actively and aggressively in electronic information industry.

Let’s learn Mr. Song’s story of efforts and struggles in semiconductor industry during the era of digital economy.  

Startup: Create Two Brands with Great Ambitions

Mr. Song Shiqiang established Shenzhen Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd. in 2014, a company specialized in the modules and devices such as RF microwave signal transmission and distribution of wireless communication product and having developed “Kinghelm” special military navigation and positioning antenna for BDS GPS antenna connector, with core team composed of graduates of Tsinghua University and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Returnee Talents. The world “Kinghelm” contains the wish of great virtue and happiness and is the benchmark of enterprise culture and business ethics.

Growing out of the electronic trade mode of Huaqiang North, Kinghelm, after multiple years of development, has developed three series of products: BDS GPS antenna, RF component and miniature adapter; broadband data connector, connector, connector assembly and terminal series; automobile wire harness, industrial connector and special custom component for military antenna; have obtained multiple invention patents and software copyrights of BDS field and ISO9001 management system certificate and became national hi-tech enterprise and member of GNSS & LBS Association of China.

Mr. Song Shiqiang knew power device R&D team of LE Yonsei University that is developing third generation semiconductor SiC MOS tube by a chance, and then, he established Shenzhen SlkorMicro Semicon Co., Ltd. and registered “SLKOR” brand, which is specialized in generalization and sales of SiC MOS and SiC SBD tube products of LE Yonsei University for NEVs in Chinese market.

“Before establishing Slkor, I made careful market investigation and industry chain research for power devices and MOS tubes, consulted many data both at home and abroad and drew complicated and detailed mind map and set up data model for analysis. I obtained the conclusion: Chinese and international power device products were not so remarkably different in technology, so equipment requirement for wafer factory and closed beta test factory was not so high – below 40 nm lithography machine would be fully competent. Besides, market capacity in China was near to RMB 1 trillion. At that time, power device domestication was relatively high and introduction and transformation of domestic advanced technology were relatively convenient, conforming to my requirements of “independence and control” for SLKOR’s technical route. Therefore, I firmly decided to sell my house to invest in semiconductor device.” Mr. Song was still passionate and firm when talking about his beginning to engage in semiconductor industry.

Development: Maintain and Expand Market Based on Solid Foundation

Slkor just had eight product models when beginning to sell SiC field effect tube: Four models of SiC MOS tubes and four models of SiC diodes, which could be found in markets of NEV motor drive core parts and components and high-end solar PV inverter. According to technical requirements, market capacity of these products wasn’t large but test and certification cycle was very long. Besides mastering SiC technology and process, SLKOR team could utilize some customer resources that Kinghelm accumulates, such as some factories of vehicle supporting parts.

In a manner of speaking, Slkor had no strong foundation in such aspects as ecological layout of semiconductor industry, customer acceptance of SLKOR brand, sales team, downstream channel and operation market and business development was slow and nearly no profits could be yielded. Even worse, Mr. Song sold his house in Shenzhen to maintain enterprise development, and therefore, he is a well-known person of running business by selling house in semiconductor industry!

In 2017, Slkor adjusted product and marketing strategy and developed and produced high, medium and low-voltage MOS field effect tubes, IGBT tube for frequency converter cleaning, silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and Hall component for market hedging; realized sales volume through products with low technical threshold in Slkor product series, so as to promote penetration of “SLKOR” brand. After constant communication with market and customer, Slkor gradually optimized and adjusted its products and “SLKOR” brand orientation to the best and sales became increasingly promising.

Mr. Song Shiqiang said, “Based on solid basic skills, we keep developing internal SLKOR brand building, team construction, channel construction, product richness, ecological construction, series product compatibility, customer emotional relationship and customer service, regardless of external circumstance.”

Moreover, Slkor also took full advantage of Internet promotion and generalization and online sales mode, development a road for development of Slkor.

“SLKOR” has become an Internet celebrity brand of semiconductor industry。 The key words such as high and low-voltage MOS tubes, SCR (silicon controlled rectifier), bridge rectifier, Hall sensor, high-speed optocoupler, Schottky diode, ESD electrostatic protection diode and TVS (transient voltage suppressor) diode are in the first page of Baidu and included number on bing of overseas Google also reaches hundreds of thousands. Slkoralso obtained remarkable achievements in sales in electronic component Internet mall. Slkor set up an image shop in Huaqiang North shortly before, to serve traders in Huaqiang North directly and rapidly.

With several years of accumulation and R&D strength improvement, Slkor has its product lines increasingly abundant, with leading products including high-voltage MOS tube, medium and low-voltage MOS, super junction field effect tube COOLMOS, SCR bridge rectifier, high-power IGBT tube and SiC field effect MOS tube applicable to military and high-end industrial product markets. At present, the following products can be used in industrial and military products: SiC diode, SiC MOS tube and IGBT, which are also widely found in such fields as NEV, communication equipment, power equipment, solar PV, UPS power supply and medical equipment. Civilian-grade consumer products include: silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), bridge rectifier, high and medium-voltage MOS tubes, Hall sensor, high-speed optocoupler, Schottky diode, ESD electrostatic protection diode, TVS transient suppression diode, universal diode, triode and power supply IC, which can be widely found in intelligent mobile, portable computer, intelligent robot, intelligent home appliance, LED lighting and 3C digital product.

Quality product doesn’t separate away from excellent team. Key members of Slkor’s R&D team include one scientist and several students he leads. With constant development and growth, the company established a professional R&D team, to master internationally advanced third generation semiconductor SiC power device technology and new material, process and product earlier. Slkor’s fifth generation ultra-fast recovery power diode technology was also increasingly mature and the company had more and more mature IP kernels.

“To ensure long-term and steady development of Slkor, we have our technological layout and product development plan extended to five or even to ten years.” Mr. Song Shiqiang believes: “Rising abruptly based on its accumulated strength” is Slkor’s characteristic and “endure the loneliness” is the mental preparation of doing a great thing. Slkor has successfully developed and mass produced Hall sensor chip. The supporting power supply management IC of field effect tube is also under R&D plan and some models have been supplied in small batch at client.  

Growth: Benchmark with Famous Enterprise and Develop Domestic Product

Sine its establishment, Slkorhas highlighted benchmarking of R&D management and product development strategy and learn from strong benchmarking enterprise in the industry. It is also a foundation of Slkor’s “domestication”.

“Foreign INFINEON and ON engaged in power device and CREE, ROHM and ST engaged in SiC are our product teachers and also our imaginary enemies of market competition. All we have to do is to try to improve our own strength and compare with benchmarking semiconductor companies to learn and study their product definition, market goal, sales strategy and supply chain, to avoid trouble.” Mr. Song Shiqiang said, “I hope one day, I could attend a round-table conference together with their bosses and surpass them finally!”

After several years of accumulation, Slkor has obtained orders in small batches gradually in high-end automobile and industrial grade SiC MOS tube and IGBT tube products. Some hot models could replace TI, ON, AOS and TOSHIBA power devices. In 2021, Slkor rose abruptly based on its strength accumulated before and had quarterly sales amount progressively increasing by 40％. Some small batch orders are oriented to NEVs and industrial grade SiC MOS tube and IGBT tube. Another part of orders is oriented to the products such as MOS field effect tube, diode, triode and Hall component that are universal in consumer market. Mr. Song Shiqiang and Slkor’s team also accelerate progress of “domestication” and hot models could replace TI, ON, AOS and TOSHIBA power devices.

China still has great difference with foreign countries in terms of high-end power device. NEV power device, part of industrial products and some special products are still mostly manufactured by foreign large semiconductor manufacturers, such as Infineon, ST, Mitsubishi and ABB. Domestic brands (e.g. CHINA RES MICRO, BASiC Semiconductor, SILAN, BYD and SLKOR) are still at low and medium ends.

 As said by Mr. Song, “We still have a great difference with foreign manufacturers in high-end product, but the difference is slowly reduced. Market is at our side and we have opportunity to overtake them.” Slkor’s development direction is still dominated by emerging market of power device and scenes which giants both at home and abroad are unwilling to engage in. We will also improve product richness and diversity and develop more businesses in new products, such as Hall component and power supply management IC. It will be our direction of performance growth and enterprise progress. In consideration of rich market categories of power devices, more larger and better enterprises could be cultivated with large enough market space and time, just as big fish are usually from large water.

Prospect: Rise Abruptly Based on Accumulated Strength and Lead Power Device Development

Slkor has pressure of price rise with unrelieved capacity of upstream wafer factory and increase of labor cost of processing, production and circulation links. But with the idea that “one should not impose on others what he himself does not desire”, Slkor tries to surrender profits to downstream customers to help customers restore production and benign operation. To maintain ecological balance of industry chain, we will not rise price even when unable to withstand the pressure. As a result, we win public praise and brand reputation by such action of considering customers’ benefits. Mr. Song introduced: Slkor adopted two countermeasures: On the one hand, accelerate the company’s internal efficiency and lower and control risk; on the other hand, increase income and reduce expenditure and advocate innovation and saving.

With respect to problem in business operation, Mr. Song compared himself to warship captain, and said, “I, the captain of warship, is lacking of time first. Both Kinghelm and Slkor are invested and managed by me. Considering differences in technology, product, market and customer base, I organize two sets of knowledge engineering, brand engineering, management organization, supply chain and warehouse systems. I, the captain of warship, is very principal if an enterprise wants to develop faster and better”.  

Slkor also establishes internal “SLKOR” brand support system, R&D and production system, supply chain system and talent training system, and at every key post, introduces first-rate talents, to make them exert the largest values. Slkor fully realizes enterprise development doesn’t separate away from talent and that talent is the ceiling of enterprise development.

Since semiconductor industry is an industry with intensive assets and input and long-cycle return, Slkor, as an assets-light company developed from IP design, needs to input lots of capital if wanting to become a large enterprise. With products getting more and more mature, resources from financing are also the development plan of Slkor in recent several years.

Chip shortage under current international situation also creates opportunity for Slkor realizing domestication. The IGBT single tube “SL60T65FL” developed and produced by Slkor can replace Infineon FGH60N60SFDTU”; SLKOR “BTA41-800B” and SLKOR “BT138S-800E” are praised and recognized by customers after multiple rounds of testing and comparing with ST “BTA41-800BRG” and WeEn “BT138S-800E” respectively, and were selected to supply chain of industrial famous enterprises such as PCBA and Johnson Electric. In addition, with respect to the power supply management chip which it began to develop and have layout in several years ago, Slkor, besides consolidating previous product lines, launches some new products, which becomes a growth point in future several years.

Slkor is under the stages of rapid rise and growth after several years of accumulation. Mr. Song happily said, “Our Slkor and Kinghelm could grow and explore market together; share experience and customers with each other. We get more and more mature in supply chain run-in, brand penetration, channel development and employee team construction and our business has been very smooth since beginning of this year. To achieve the plan of reaching more than 50% compound growth rate every three months, our team should work very hard and won everyone’s support.”

As introduced on Slkor’s official website, they have slogan of “becoming a leader in domestic semiconductor industry”. Slkor has always been developing power device field and gradually obtains achievements. After stabilizing domestic market, Slkor will have the goal of opening foreign market gradually and making contributions to Chinese semiconductor enterprise. 

Slkor’s enterprise culture

With a strong focus on such an ideal, Mr. Song always emphasizes concentration, professionalism and persistence, rise abruptly based on accumulated strength and run business carefully and seriously. Talent, team, innovation, system, enterprise culture and corporate ethics are the magic key to Slkor surviving in market permanently and the guarantee for Slkorfuture development.

“We could develop only by formulating strict and comprehensive regulations and rules and implementing them in good faith; establishing positive enterprise culture and warm and responsible business ethics; paying attention to protection of industrial ecological chain.” Mr. Song manages Slkor strictly, just as it is his child; cultivate enterprise attentively and is full of expectations about semiconductor industry which he invests in.

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