Sailing into the big league

[Photo provided to China Daily]

In 2003, the company made a breakthrough. Its Wintech racing shells won the bid for official boats for the 2004 Athens Olympics' rowing competitions, beating many well-established companies. Sino Eagle has been the official boat supplier for four consecutive chapters of the Games, an unprecedented trend in Olympic history.

The company now produces more than 10 percent of the world's rowboats, of which more than 80 percent are exported. Filter has participated in the design of almost all its products.

"We made fast advances ... because we invited the best expert in the world," Xiong says.

Thinking ahead

Filter started his career in former East Germany and became a member of its national rowing team in the 1950s. He developed the world's first composite rowing shell in 1960 after becoming a naval architect.

In 1979, he became a founding member of the FISA's materials commission and served as its head from 1990 to 2000.

"Motivation is important. My hobby is my profession, so I never get tired," says Filter, who still rows sometimes.

Filter brought both his expertise and enthusiasm to China.

"He has high standards and follows them strictly. He really loves his profession," says Jin Yin, a senior manager from Xiong's company.

According to Jin, Filter often went to inspect the workplace and sometimes he would simply grab the tools available to show workers how things should be done.

When the company would launch new products, Filter would stay on the premises until late to ensure every detail was factored into the boat designs.

Over time, he has learned some Chinese, even jargon, to better communicate with his local colleagues. But there were challenges other than language as well, Filter says.

"A big part of my job here has been to change people's mentality and old habits."

He made efforts to improve the factory environment by making his colleagues understand the importance of "rowing as a team".

Filter asked the company to focus less on boats' appearances and more on the functionality of different parts.

"Function always takes priority over appearance. We must double-check to avoid silly mistakes," he says.

When disagreements arose, Filter would give his opinion frankly. He says he successfully persuaded Xiong to "think ahead" instead of continuing with cheap products that were produced in the company's early years when labor costs were low.

"I prefer to talk about problems openly, not to put them under the carpet," Filter says.