YOFC: From follower to forerunner

      A booth of YOFC is seen at an exhibition. [Photo/Optics Valley of China]

Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC), located in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC), is the world's leading supplier of optical fiber preforms, optical fibers, optical cables and integrated solutions. Its economic scale has surpassed the threshold of 5 trillion yuan ($788.15 billion).

The optoelectronic giant was born in Wuhan 34 years ago, and has risen from a mere technology introducer to an independent researcher.

Optical fibers and cables are the foundation of the whole information highway. "We have the largest optical fiber preforms with a diameter of 230 millimeters and a length of 3 meters. One such preform can produce about 10,000 optical fibers, and it represents the world's most cutting-edge technology," said Zheng Xin, vice president of YOFC.

From a follower to a leader, the firm has built up its reputation over decades.

Back in 1990, the first five engineers of the firm were assigned to accept training in Philips based in the Netherlands. They didn't make any compaints about the tough conditions. Their determination to bring advanced technology home kept them going," said Zheng.

YOFC officially began operating in 1992, and one year later, the optical fiber produced from one preform at YOFC turned out to be longer than the Philips one by 30 percent.

While the firm's products have long been bestsellers in China, YOFC has not become complacent, and founded its own research department in 2000, which now boasts more than 800 Chinese and foreign patents.

In April 2015, the firm released its G.654.E fiber, making it the first in China, and the third in the world to be able to produce large-sized, low-loss optical fiber products. The G.654.E fiber is currently applied in the main lines of China Mobile Communications, China Telecommunications, and China Unicom – China's three leading telecommunications services providers.

"Market demand has continued to rise since the beginning of this year. During the Spring Festival, the equipment in our workshops will be operated 24 hours a day to ensure products are delivered on time," said Zheng.

YOFC's optical fibers now have been sold in over 70 countries and regions.