In the workshop of Shandong Keju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a brand-new high-speed automatic filling production line operates as smoothly as a silver dragon. Bottles of translucent American ginseng concentrate swiftly move along the conveyor belt, with filling, capping, and labeling completed seamlessly. A steady output of 350 bottles per minute has become the “new engine” driving the company’s production capacity leap this year. Yet, this is only one step in Keju Pharmaceutical’s innovation journey this year.
Recently, this biotechnology-focused enterprise was honored with the title of “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” SME in Shandong Province. In the view of Yang Mingdong, the company’s general manager, this recognition affirms years of dedication to the research, development, and commercialization of biological products. “Currently, we can produce nutritional and health foods in various forms such as capsules, tablets, powders, and beverages. Our R&D and production cover over 800 products across four major categories, which are sold in 27 provinces and cities across China and exported to multiple countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia,” Yang Mingdong said.
In the workshop, a faint, refreshing aroma of American ginseng fills the air—a testament to the new achievements from Keju Pharmaceutical’s industry-academia-research collaboration with Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai). Ginsenosides are the primary active components of American ginseng, but how to enhance the purity of the extract while maximizing the retention of active ingredients during the extraction process has long been a technical challenge in the industry.
“To address this common issue, we have established an integrated innovation chain with the university, covering ‘basic research, applied development, and industrial transformation.’ We developed a rapid mass spectrometry analysis technology for the functional components of American ginseng, analyzed the interaction mechanisms between these components and extraction agents, and deciphered the patterns of interaction between functional components and additives during production,” said Li Zhenxing, head of the company’s R&D department. After a year of research and development, they successfully increased the extraction rate of American ginseng’s active components by over 30% and raised the total ginsenoside concentration by more than 50%.
The combination of cutting-edge scientific research from the university with the company’s industrial capabilities and market insights became the key to breaking through the bottleneck. The collaboration between Keju Pharmaceutical and Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai) not only accelerated the transition of American ginseng research成果 from the laboratory to the market but also infused traditional health supplements with technological innovation.
In the company’s product display area, a red-packaged capsule stands out—a coenzyme Q10 capsule crafted through innovative processes. By adopting innovative separation and purification technologies, the company successfully increased the total yield of coenzyme Q10 capsules to over 90%, with purity exceeding 99%. “We not only pursue high purity but also prioritize the actual consumption experience of the product,” Li Zhenxing said. By improving bioavailability and reducing excipient additives, they addressed the issue of difficulty swallowing due to oversized capsules. Market data confirms the product’s success, with the number of coenzyme Q10 product registrations ranking among the top in the province over the past three years.
To meet growing market demand, Keju Pharmaceutical has also invested over 9 million yuan in recent years to introduce automated production equipment, including one-step granulators, high-speed mixers, and particle packaging machines, establishing a complete automated production line from raw material processing to finished product packaging.
“Previously, production required multiple steps such as mixing, preparing soft materials, forming wet granules, and drying. Now, a single granulator can accomplish this ‘in one step,’ producing over 50 kilograms of granules per batch and increasing production efficiency by 60%,” said the workshop quality supervisor. Coupled with intelligent production scheduling based on the MES system, which dynamically allocates human and machine resources, the on-time order delivery rate has risen to 99.5%.With the deployment of these “hardcore” devices, the company’s production is entering a new stage of intelligence. Over the next three years, Keju Pharmaceutical plans to invest 50 million yuan to expand its intelligent production lines, accelerating its布局 in the fields of special medical food and precision nutrition.