Leveraging advanced technological advantages to become a specialist in formulated fertilization.

Leveraging advanced technological advantages to become a specialist in formulated fertilization.

　　----Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Industry’s Path of Development: “Quality + Service”

Located at the foot of Mount Tai, Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. is a fertilizer manufacturer that integrates production, education, and research among university‑run enterprises nationwide. The company leverages the technological expertise of Shandong Agricultural University and draws on the technical support of its Fertilizer Research Institute. Since its establishment, relying on the advanced technological strengths of Shandong Agricultural University, the company has adhered to a business philosophy of “quality first, customers first, service first,” striving to produce premium fertilizers and continuously developing high‑tech products. Its offerings enjoy an excellent reputation in the domestic market and are also exported to Japan and Southeast Asia. Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology consistently focuses on producing customized compound fertilizers; by pursuing independent innovation and a brand‑driven growth strategy, it has grown into the largest production base in central Shandong for formulated fertilizers, controlled‑release fertilizers, and compound fertilizers.

　　I. Strictly manage product quality and continuously enhance our capacity for scientific and technological innovation.

Shandong Nongda Fertilizer continuously strengthens its employees’ quality awareness, using weekly meetings to instill in workers the principle: “Quality consciousness resides in my heart; product quality is in my hands.” We recognize that “even a one‑in‑a‑thousand defect can mean 100 percent loss for farmers.” To enhance product quality and bolster our competitive edge, we have implemented rigorous quality‑control measures at every stage of production. Shandong Nongda Fertilizer has established a stringent fertilizer‑quality‑assurance program. On the one hand, we tighten control at the very source of production by subjecting each batch of raw materials to meticulous inspection, thereby steadily improving the quality of purchased inputs. On the other hand, we refine our manufacturing processes and strengthen oversight throughout production; quality‑inspection personnel conduct round‑the‑clock sampling and testing to ensure the consistency of every batch and raise the pass rate of finished products. By the end of 2007, the company’s branded compound fertilizers—under the “Nongda,” “Nongyou,” and “Daxueshi” lines—were awarded the prestigious national exemption from product‑quality inspections.

The company has also established an ISO 9001 quality management system, which has not only refined its internal rules and regulations, clarified the responsibilities of each department and position, and streamlined operational procedures, but has also ensured the effective implementation of quality objectives. Regular performance assessments are conducted, and the company carries out an internal audit annually as scheduled, all of which contribute to the steady improvement of product quality.

Currently, the company boasts a team of soil and fertilizer experts, with its core management personnel all being seasoned faculty members from Shandong Agricultural University who have long been engaged in teaching and research in this field. Eighty percent of the management team holds at least a bachelor’s degree, underpinning the company’s robust scientific research capabilities and a strong R&D workforce. Over the past decade-plus since its establishment, Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd. has consistently upheld the university’s spirit of “striving for excellence through self‑reliance,” placing great emphasis on technological innovation. To further advance corporate R&D, the company has established a dedicated Technology Innovation Leadership Group, chaired by Chairman and General Manager Ma Xuewen, and has issued the “Regulations on the Management of Technological Innovation Activities.” A total of 33 projects have been approved, with project teams regularly summarizing and reporting progress, thereby reinforcing the company’s central role in technological innovation and investment in science and technology, and accelerating the development of Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd. into a technology‑driven enterprise that integrates production, education, and research.

　　II. Establish a Soil Testing and Formula Fertilization Association to vigorously promote soil testing and formula fertilization efforts.

In 2006, the company jointly initiated the establishment of the Soil Testing and Formula Fertilization Association with the Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Research Institute. Guided by the slogan “For formula fertilization, turn to Shandong Agricultural University,” the association raised the banner of formula fertilization, set up soil‑testing and formula‑fertilization liaison stations, and vigorously expanded its membership in the field of soil‑testing‑based, formula‑driven fertilization. “While competitors offer generic solutions, we provide tailored formulas; when others target specific needs, we deliver customized formulations” — this has been our guiding principle since founding the association. Through farmers’ markets, door-to-door visits, dealer incentives, and fertilizer‑application training workshops, we awarded bronze plaques designating each service station as a “Soil Testing and Formula Fertilization Liaison Station.” Leveraging these stations, we have actively grown our membership base and continuously extended our reach into surrounding areas.

The company has acquired soil nutrient testing equipment and established a soil-testing-and-fertilizer‑formulation service center to provide customers with tailored soil‑testing and fertilization services. In addition, the company offers these services directly at its premises. To date, it has analyzed more than a thousand soil samples and promptly communicated the results to clients, earning their trust and satisfaction. Furthermore, the marketing company operates six mobile outreach vehicles equipped for soil‑testing‑and‑fertilizer‑formulation promotion, conducting educational campaigns both within and beyond the province. Wherever these vehicles go, they bring agricultural science lectures and public‑education films to local communities. To better serve its customers, the company has set up a toll‑free 800 expert‑consultation hotline, offering free advice on soil testing and fertilizer formulation, thereby providing tangible economic benefits and technical support to farmers. Since its launch, the hotline has fielded over a thousand inquiries, effectively addressing customers’ practical production challenges in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, in the service areas of each formula‑fertilization liaison station, demonstration households have been established for different crops to showcase soil‑testing‑based, site‑specific fertilization. This approach has created a ripple effect, enabling farmers to see firsthand the tangible benefits of such practices. Our company has set up a dedicated Agricultural University Formula‑Fertilization Promotion Team, which, through our sales outlets and liaison stations, disseminates educational materials and promotional resources to inform customers about the advantages of formula‑fertilization. We also tailor fertilizer formulations to meet the specific needs of individual farmers, delivering both economic benefits and reduced environmental impact and resource waste, thereby elevating the adoption of soil‑testing‑based, site‑specific fertilization and lowering production costs.

Our subsidiary, Shandong Luzhong Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd., has been designated by the Shandong Provincial Soil and Fertilizer Station as an approved manufacturer of formulated fertilizers in Shandong Province. Since last year, it has undertaken the production of formulated fertilizers for the Shandong Provincial Department of Agriculture and has, to date, established cooperative partnerships with the agricultural bureaus of more than ten counties and cities across the province.

　　III. Strengthen training for marketing personnel in soil-testing and formula‑based fertilization techniques to enhance the quality of services provided to farmers.

Transforming products into marketable goods is the prerequisite for socializing a company’s product value, and marketing personnel serve as a crucial bridge in this process. To continuously enhance their professional competence and technical skills, our company has, in addition to training on corporate policies, organizational structure, job descriptions, and work procedures, acquired nearly one hundred instructional video discs covering agricultural techniques—ranging from cultivation and fertilization to plant protection—for crops such as wheat, corn, fruit trees, and vegetables. These resources are used to conduct regular training sessions for our marketing staff. Moreover, prior to each peak season, our agro‑chemical service technicians provide intensive agricultural‑technology training to the marketing team. Collectively, these efforts have significantly strengthened the marketing team’s foundational agricultural knowledge and technical expertise, ensuring they can deliver high‑quality service to customers. After all, only superior service can guarantee proper product application, highlight product advantages, and build a strong communication link, thereby fostering customer loyalty.

Meanwhile, to help our marketing team gain a clearer understanding of the company’s products, we have developed an agrochemical service manual that provides a detailed overview of the company’s range of formulated fertilizers. We have also conducted training sessions for our sales representatives on the features and characteristics of these formulated fertilizers, as well as on production processes, and provided hands-on instruction in the specific procedures for soil testing and fertilizer formulation, including sampling techniques. Concurrent with the serial publication of the new edition of the “Technical Specifications for Soil Testing and Fertilizer Application” in the Agricultural Inputs Herald, we promptly communicated the latest technical guidelines to our marketing staff, ensuring that they mastered the relevant standards and significantly enhancing their expertise in soil‑testing‑based fertilizer application.

In addition, our company has moved beyond conventional formula‑development practices by encouraging marketing personnel to relay frontline insights back to the organization. Based on market demand and customer preferences, they submit seasonal formulation requirements, which are then reviewed and approved by company leadership before being implemented. This initiative has significantly stimulated creative thinking among marketing staff, boosted their enthusiasm for participating in formula development, enriched our product portfolio, and substantially shortened the time it takes for new products to gain market acceptance.

　　IV. Leveraging the resources, technologies, and expert expertise of agricultural universities to implement science and technology services.

Leveraging the comprehensive facilities and cutting-edge technologies of Shandong Agricultural University, we not only conduct routine analyses of major soil nutrients but also offer testing for a wide range of micronutrients, providing our clients with the most scientifically sound and authoritative data. In 2007, our company collaborated with an expert team from Shandong Agricultural University to carry out a province-wide survey of soil conditions, amassing extensive data on soil nutrient status across the region. This work laid the groundwork for studying fertilizer requirements at different growth stages of various crops and enabled us to accumulate valuable insights that support the development of more targeted new products.

Our company has actively integrated the latest research findings of Academician Zhenwen Yu of Shandong Agricultural University—the theory behind the “late‑application, delayed‑senescence, high‑yield cultivation technique for winter wheat using nitrogen fertilizer”—into our product manufacturing process. The late‑application nitrogen fertilization technique is a core component of the project that earned Academician Yu the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2001. This approach involves either postponing the timing of fertilizer application or delaying the spring topdressing, typically to the jointing stage. However, in practical application we found that fertilizing at the jointing stage can be relatively cumbersome to implement. Our newly developed high‑nitrogen, controlled‑release topdressing for wheat effectively addresses these operational challenges. By applying this specialized fertilizer during the green‑up phase, we ensure an adequate supply of nutrients through the grain‑filling period, promote efficient grain filling, enhance tiller‑to‑spike conversion, and reduce nitrogen losses, thereby increasing nitrogen use efficiency by more than 10% while minimizing environmental pollution caused by excess nitrogen.

Leveraging the expert network of Shandong Agricultural University, we regularly relay our customers’ challenges to the university’s specialists, seeking their guidance on both the issues at hand and potential solutions. For instance, when garlic develops unusual diseases or wheat exhibits white tips on its ears, our experts provide clear explanations, after which we communicate the findings back to our clients. This approach effectively resolves their problems, enabling us to deliver comprehensive, professional support for agricultural production. Our company has invited agricultural experts to field sites more than a hundred times to train farmers, offering instruction on balanced and rational fertilization practices. These efforts have earned widespread acclaim and high praise from farmers. Meanwhile, our technical staff organizes a variety of outreach activities—such as promotional seminars, training sessions, on-site visits, and participation in rural markets—to introduce new products to farmers. By deploying service teams to rural areas for product promotion and demonstration, we accelerate the responsiveness of both production and research to market demands, ensuring that our offerings better align with evolving market trends and continuously enhancing the value‑added and profitability of our distribution channels.

Recently, our company is set to inaugurate the Soil and Fertilizer Workstation of the Postdoctoral Research Station at the College of Resources and Environment of Shandong Agricultural University. We are confident that the official launch of this postdoctoral station will further strengthen our research capabilities, elevate our technological standards, and better enable us to provide cutting-edge scientific and technical services to our broad customer base.