Established in 2017, Zhejiang Goldlink Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Goldlink”), is a national-level high-tech enterprise engaged in  the manufacturing of precision micro parts, and a “little giant” that is specialized and sophisticated and produces new and unique products. It ranks third in terms of the output of chip testing probes in the world, and is a leading professional manufacturer in this field in China.

While paying attention to the operation of the new plant, Cao Lei, chairman and general manager of Goldlink, was thinking what products should participate in the upcoming Japan International Semiconductor Exhibition 2024, and what key technologies should be exhibited. His business trip to this Exhibition is to grasp more accurate global information of this field.

According to the “ten-fold rule” for the fault detection of electronic systems, finding the faults of the printed circuit board will cost ten times more if the fault of a chip is not found during its testing.

The chip testing is important, but the probe, a key chip testing part and consumable, has been monopolized by foreign enterprises for a long time.

To win the honor for the Chinese people, Cao Lei-led teams have begun to engage themselves in the R&D of chip testing probes since 2016, overcome many technical problems, and produced the products thinner than a hair, filling the domestic gap in this field and breaking foreign long-term monopolies.

Delving into new areas: from 0.35 mm to 0.05 mm

Goldlink’s new plant is located in Jiabei Sub-district of Economic Development Zone of Jiaxing. In the bright exhibition hall, the company’s products, placed in the magnifying devices, can only be seen with the help of a microscope. They are the chip testing probes, the company’s flagship products.

“Although it is small, it is technologically advanced,” said Cal Lei. Picking up the drawings nearby, he said that the diameters of these probes are generally between 0.05 mm and 0.25 mm, which are accurately designed and produced according to customer’s needs, but it’s not possible at home before.

In 2016, Cao Lei learned by chance from a customer that a foreign company was in the market for chip testing probe suppliers in China, but failed. Why? Different from common probes, the chip testing probe is strongly functional, technologically advanced and difficult in manufacturing. “If we master unique technologies, we will go far.” Learning this business opportunity, Cao Lei immediately went to Japan for surveys, but was told that “Chinese people cannot succeed in this field.”

“These words did harm us. Then in China there were no relevant supporting machine tools or technologies, but we determined to produce the probe even if it’s just for the sake of proving ourselves,” said Cao. The team started months of painstaking R&D.

Thanks to the experience in the manufacturing of precision micro parts, Cao Lei-led teams produced the first chip testing probe with a diameter of about 0.35 mm, which proved that Chinese people could produce advanced chip testing probes and opened up a new field.

In 2017, Cao Lei established Goldlink in Economic Development Zone of Jiaxing to specialize in the precision micro-parts monopolized by foreign enterprises.

As the chips get smaller, the probes get thinner. To match different chips, different products must be developed. In this bright exhibition hall, the types of probes are not rich, but each is produced specially.

Special production arises from in-depth researches

They modified machine tools themselves and transformed independently imported machine tools to process much thinner probes. Through independent R&D, the company boasts advanced inspection, cleaning and heat treatment equipment in the world.

Besides, it produces raw materials by themselves. Cooperating with universities, the company localizes the production of palladium alloy bars, which live up to the same standard of foreign products, can replace the imports and break away from their dependence on imports.

The company has obtained more than 50 patents, including 16 invention patents. What makes Cao prouder is that since 2022, Goldlink has replaced foreign suppliers and now it is a preferred supplier of more than 60 domestic and foreign customers.

Continuing to explore new fields: from chip testing probes to medical electrodes

In-depth studies make Goldlink achieve “from 0-to-1” changes and start a “from-1-to-100” journey.

In Cao Lei’s view, intelligence is the main direction of future sci-tech progress, and chips will play an absolutely important role in the intelligent process. During the seven years since its establishment, the company has solved a series of key technical problems, enhancing its core competitiveness.

How to make continuous efforts? The company widely uses their palladium alloy bars in the manufacturing of probe tips and sleeves, and their performances are as good as those of similar foreign products so that the company can control the materials and parts of the whole industrial chain independently.

“If a company has achieved somewhat progress in a sub-segment, it must consider how to provide customers with more choices,” said Cao Lei. He has clearly realized the new field creates new growth spaces for enterprises, but the “new track” will make them stand at a high position.

With an investment of 481 million yuan and a modern R&D and manufacturing base of 32,000 square meters, the company’s new plant can produce 322 CNC machine tools and full sets of micro-parts a year after its operation this July, The company is striving to increase its market share of the chip testing probes to more than 10% of the world in three years and rank first in this field in the world.

In order to better promote industry chain-based development, Goldlink has established a company to produce PB pipe materials for probe sleeves in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and its products can replace the exported exports of the same standards. Moreover, it has set up a factory to be put into operation in Yokohama, Japan by the end of this year to produce micro-springs and electro-forming micro-tubes and probe sleeves.

Cao Lei believes whoever with strong core competitiveness can occupy the market, and he puts this idea into practice. The company has always attached great importance to innovation; its R&D investment accounts for 7% of its annual revenues, and R&D personnel accounts for 15% of its total employees.

Now Goldlink produces more than 25 million chip testing probes every month for domestic customers and those of the United States, Japan, Singapore, etc.

From 1 to 100: Goldlink’s business scope is not limited to one field anymore.

“Medical care markets are more stable and broader. We will establish a whole industrial chain covering medical materials and equipment parts, fill more domestic gaps and replace more exports,” said he. According to his plan, Goldlink will apply its successful experience in chip testing probes to other emerging industries such as healthcare.

For this purpose, the company has set up a special business department, hired professional R&D personnel, and made a construction plan for laboratories and workshops to produce surgical and implantable micro medical parts.

Bravely exploring new fields to serve as a global leader in manufacturing precision micro parts

Goldlink is further strengthened through developing first-class products and improving high-quality supply chains. In mid-October this year, it realized C round of equity financing of more than 100 million yuan and built a solid foundation again for its sustainable development.

According to Hu Yongxiang, manager of Zhechuang Qichen which led this round of equity financing, also president of Zhejiang Entrepreneurship and Investment Group Co., Ltd., his company is optimistic about Goldlink’s core technologies in the precision micro-parts and the opportunity for Goldlink to replace the exported high-quality consumables used for electrophysiological ablation surgeries.

Unlike today’s recognition, Goldlink used to be coldly received when its products were first produced. “Our products were up to standard in every aspect, but foreign companies were afraid to use them at the beginning. Even if we gave our products to them freely, they were still afraid to use,” said Cao Lei. Different from other products, chip testing probes’ trial-and-error costs are high, so the traditional words “cost-effective” cannot attract consumers.

How to win consumers’ trust? Goldlink both increased investment in equipment and R&D to produce more excellent products, and meanwhile tried to make door-to-door promotions time and again to win one consumer’s confidence first, then more consumers’.

“We ever visited one company 20 times, and updated our product’s design repeatedly according to its needs, just to hope to get a chance from it to try our products,” Cao said emotionally when he recalled the difficulties then. In the toughest time, Goldlink under a heavy debt sought customers everywhere.

After harsh winter, spring comes. Finally, Goldlink received a few orders, and then more and more orders due to its stable and rapid supplies and deliveries. This year, Goldlink broke foreign long-term monopolies and became the global largest supplier in this field for the first time.

Now its 78-million-yuan investment project producing new precision medical parts is under rapid construction. After its operation, it can realize an annual output of 40 million high-end medical precision parts. Its catheter electrode tips for electrophysiological surgeries now have realized low-volume production, and passed customers’ certification of the United States.

With 15 years of precision micro-parts processing experience and R&D teams, Goldlink has always given play to the role of talent and technologies and made progress in core technologies. Now it has stayed in the center of this industry. In the future the company will continue to explore the new field and strive to be a global leader in the precision micro-parts manufacturing.

“In the new plant there is a group of bull sculptures with the name ‘Endless Life’, which means we will never give up our efforts. We will build Goldlink into a century-long enterprise,” said Cao. After realizing “from-0-to-1” and “from-1-to-100” targets, Cao Lei now has a new target, i.e., “from 100 to ∞”.