"Lichma" is surging toward us—Wanbande stands ready: preparing for typhoon prevention and disaster relief—we’re taking action!

At 1:45 a.m. on August 10, 2019, Typhoon No. 9 "Lekima," classified as a super typhoon, made landfall in Chengnan Town, Wenling City, Zhejiang Province. At the time of landfall, the maximum wind speed near the storm's center reached Level 16 (52 meters per second)—making it the third-strongest typhoon to hit Zhejiang Province in the past 70 years and the most powerful typhoon to strike China this year. Thanks to effective preventive measures, Wanbangde Group’s Wenling headquarters and key construction projects underway in Wenling experienced only minor damage, including fallen trees, broken billboards, shattered glass, isolated instances of roof sections being lifted off factory buildings, and some equipment malfunctions. A total of 150 people were safely evacuated, ensuring zero casualties among all employees at the Wenling headquarters.

Highly prioritize and deploy in advance

On the afternoon of August 7, Wanbande Group activated its emergency alert system. On August 8, Chairman Zhao Shouming personally oversaw and coordinated preparations to defend against the typhoon, emphasizing that the three subsidiaries based at Wanbande’s headquarters in Wenling—Wanbande Pharmaceutical, Wanbande Bearings, and Wanbande Medical Technology—must take the situation extremely seriously. They were instructed to closely monitor the typhoon’s progress, remain highly vigilant, stay fully prepared, and ensure accountability. Together, the company is determined to work as one team, meticulously implementing all necessary measures to effectively and orderly carry out typhoon prevention efforts, safeguarding the safety and stability of operations.

On the morning of the 8th, the typhoon emergency response plan was officially activated. An anti-typhoon emergency team was established, led by Ye Jianguo, Deputy General Manager for Safety and Environmental Protection. The team is divided into working groups, including logistics support and workshop emergency squads, to ensure unified deployment, coordinated progress, and clear division of responsibilities. Headquarters and all subsidiaries immediately shifted into emergency mode, with each department and subsidiary taking charge of its own specific tasks.

At 9 a.m. on the 8th, Hu Shiqin, Deputy General Manager of Administration at Wanbangde Pharmaceutical, led teams from the Office, Safety & Environmental Protection Department, and other relevant units to swiftly conduct a thorough inspection of key areas across the factory premises, including workshops, the boiler room, laboratories, archives, electrical distribution rooms, Class A material storage facilities, and employee dormitories. Following the inspection, Hu Shiqin instructed all departments to take immediate action, accelerating the necessary repairs to address any potential safety hazards. Additionally, she directed teams to reinforce doors, windows, and green spaces, clear and unclog drainage pipes, seal gaps in ceilings across all floors, cover critical equipment and archival materials with tarpaulins, stockpile sandbags specifically for flood control, and arrange for round-the-clock staffing to ensure readiness for emergency flood response efforts throughout the facility.

On the morning of the 9th, leaders including Chen Yan, Deputy General Manager of the Group, and Ye Jianguo, Deputy General Manager of Safety and Environmental Protection at Wanbangde Pharmaceutical, conducted a typhoon preparedness safety inspection of key ongoing construction projects. They instructed site workers to expedite the reinforcement of suspended platforms, seal gaps in glass curtain walls with "wooden board shields," clear and secure debris from the rooftop of the R&D building, ensure that flood-control materials like sandbags are fully stocked, assign on-duty personnel to monitoring positions, and immediately evacuate all remaining construction workers—effectively reinforcing all defensive measures.

On the afternoon of the 9th, Hu Shiqin, Deputy General Manager of Administration at Wanbangde Pharmaceutical, issued an urgent order: the factory immediately halted production, while the Logistics Support Department began counting and verifying employees residing in company apartments to ensure the safe evacuation of all personnel. All staff from subsidiaries and departments were placed on standby, fully prepared to wage a strong defense against Typhoon Lekima.

Go all out and fight relentlessly around the clock.

On the evening of the 9th, with fierce winds and heavy rain, senior executives from all subsidiaries and heads of various departments at the group headquarters took their positions on the front lines, while ordinary employees actively joined in. All key personnel across the group—both management and frontline staff—were fully mobilized, working tirelessly to tackle the typhoon and manage emergency response efforts. Meanwhile, real-time updates on typhoon preparedness across different factory areas were continuously shared in the company’s WeChat group.

At 7 p.m. on the 9th, Xu Zaibin, an employee from Wanbangde Pharmaceutical Engineering Department, was at home preparing for the approaching typhoon when he suddenly received news that several workshop roofs and canopies urgently needed reinforcement. Hearing this, Xu couldn’t sit still for a moment—quickly leaving a few words of instruction to his family, he rushed straight to the company. However, by then, the storm had already intensified, with severe flooding and submerged roads in Wenling city center, making it impossible for private vehicles to pass. As a result, Xu found himself stranded on Qianxi Road in the city center. Upon receiving the urgent call for help, Hu Shiqin, the Deputy General Manager of Administration, immediately assigned the rescue mission to Leng Hengjun, the company’s shuttle bus driver. The round trip of about 20 kilometers took Leng more than an hour due to the treacherous conditions. Along the dark, rain-soaked road, several vehicles broke down one after another, while torrential rain lashed against the windshield, blurring visibility completely. Despite these challenges, Leng Hengjun remained steadfast, braving the relentless downpour to safely pick up Xu and bring him back to the company. Back at the office, Xu wasted no time. He immediately mobilized his team to reinforce the identified safety hazards, laying a solid foundation for the company to successfully weather the typhoon crisis.

At 12:01 a.m. on the 10th, the factory suddenly experienced a power outage. Staff from the Logistics Support Department immediately responded by activating the emergency generator to restore power. At the same time, they distributed bottled water, Red Bull, instant noodles, and other food items to employees at the evacuation center, ensuring everyone was prepared for an extended night of emergency operations.

At 12:38 a.m. on the 10th, Wanbande Bearing, a subsidiary of the group, issued an urgent alert: the roofs of the main workshop and the heat treatment workshop had been torn open, creating a massive breach. In an instant, fierce winds swept through, accompanied by torrential rain that poured relentlessly. Inside the factory, windows were shattered by the gale, and the downpour posed an immediate threat to critical production equipment. Reacting swiftly, Sun Yongxian, Deputy General Manager of Wanbande Bearing, and Lei Xianyang, Deputy Production Director, led their emergency response team to mobilize quickly. While prioritizing the safety of personnel, they worked tirelessly to safeguard both products and machinery from further damage.

At 12:45 a.m. on the 10th, five QC laboratories located on the second floor of Wanbangde Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of the group, were flooded by torrential rainwater, leading to severe water accumulation that directly threatened the company’s liquid chromatography equipment—valued at 8 million yuan—on the first floor. Seeing the critical situation unfold, QC Director Zhao Shouhu immediately alerted his colleagues on duty: Chen Haiyong (female), Lin Jinxin, and Weng Changling, who sprang into action to tackle the emergency. Inside the lab, which had plunged into darkness due to a power outage, the air was stiflingly hot and humid. Only a few faint emergency lights illuminated their frantic efforts as they worked tirelessly to bail out the rising water. Fearing that the heavy rain might soak the sensitive equipment, they used every available container—baskets, buckets, storage boxes, even trash bins—to repeatedly scoop and remove the floodwater. Their clothes quickly became soaked with sweat, turning them into veritable "rainmen" from exhaustion. But as the downpour intensified without any sign of letting up, the four of them realized they simply couldn’t handle the crisis alone. Acting swiftly, QC Director Zhao Shouhu immediately reached out to the company’s typhoon emergency response team for assistance. In response, Hu Shiqin, Executive Vice President of Administration at Wanbangde Pharmaceutical, promptly mobilized eight additional colleagues from QA, the office, and other departments to join the rescue effort. Together, they worked around the clock, using buckets to clear the relentless floodwaters and urgently relocating vital lab instruments and computers to safer areas—effectively minimizing the financial impact on the company.

At 8 a.m. on the 10th, more than six hours after the typhoon passed, the typhoon response emergency team conducted department-by-department assessments of the damage caused across all units. Each department head then compiled and reported their findings. After consolidating information from all sources, the emergency team concluded that the typhoon preparedness efforts had been effective—there were no casualties or injuries. While some workshop roofs were torn off, equipment sustained damage, and trees in the factory’s green areas were uprooted or toppled, there was no significant property loss overall. Meanwhile, all necessary follow-up measures will now be carried out in an orderly manner.

Recognizing excellence and promoting positive energy

"Typhoon Lichma" struck with tremendous force, but the entire team at the Group Headquarters stood united and worked together seamlessly, enabling Wanbangde Group to withstand the test of this powerful, 16-grade super typhoon. The remarkable dedication and collective spirit of the 76 emergency night-shift employees from the Group’s subsidiaries—those who bravely stepped up to tackle the storm and its aftermath—were truly inspiring. Their fearless determination and sense of responsibility not only boosted morale and reignited everyone’s fighting spirit but also spread positive energy throughout the organization.

To recognize excellence and set exemplary standards, the group’s subsidiaries will honor individuals and teams that have demonstrated outstanding performance during disaster relief efforts against Typhoon. This initiative aims to inspire all employees to strive relentlessly, embrace leadership opportunities, and foster a strong culture of dedication, teamwork, shared responsibility, and collective pride—where everyone stands united in both success and challenge.