Xuchang Chengrui Insulation Materials Co., Ltd.

Nadia Kovaleva, the director of Minsk Insulation Solutions, had spent 15 years building her electrical insulation materials business into a key supplier for Belarus’s railway and energy sectors. Specializing in phenolic cotton cloth sheets and laminated sheets, her company served clients requiring high-temperature-resistant components for transformer manufacturing and industrial machinery. However, by late 2021, reliance on overpriced Russian suppliers and inconsistent product performance threatened her competitiveness.

Her primary pain points were stark: Russian-made phenolic cotton cloth sheets showed delamination issues after 6–8 months of service, while laminated sheet prices had surged 32%, due to currency fluctuations. A major client, a Minsk-based rail equipment producer, nearly terminated their contract after insulation failures caused project delays. Nadia knew diversification was critical but faced limited options within the Eurasian Economic Union bloc.

A turning point came at the 2022 ElectroTech Expo in Minsk, where Chengrui’s booth displayed cross-sectional samples of phenolic cotton cloth sheets alongside fire-resistance test videos. Intrigued by the Chinese manufacturer’s laminated sheets, Nadia initiated discussions with Chengrui’s export manager. Two months later, she led a technical team to Chengrui’s Henan production base, where automated pressing lines and in-house resin formulation labs addressed her quality concerns.

Chengrui’s engineers demonstrated how their phenolic cotton cloth sheets achieved 18%, higher tensile strength than Nadia’s Russian stock through optimized cotton scouring and resin saturation processes. For laminated sheets, the vertically integrated production—from cellulose refining to hydraulic pressing, enabled a 20%, cost advantage over Eastern European alternatives. Crucially, Chengrui’s 25-day rail delivery via China-Europe freight trains aligned with Nadia’s just-in-time inventory model.

The partnership’s validation occurred during a crisis: When Nadia’s Russian supplier defaulted on a 12-ton phenolic cotton cloth sheet order, Chengrui mobilized reserve stock and delivered via air-sea delivery within 18 days, preventing penalties from her rail industry client. Subsequent third-party testing showed Chengrui’s sheets maintained stable dielectric properties even after 1,200 hours at 130°C—exceeding Belarusian GOST standards.

Within 14 months, Minsk Insulation Solutions replaced 68%, of its Russian-sourced materials with Chengrui products. The cost savings enabled Nadia to undercut competitors by 11%, in tenders for Belarusian Energy Ministry projects. Her catalogue now features Chengrui’s custom-grade laminated sheets for high-voltage applications, complete with translated technical certificates recognized by Eurasian regulators.

This collaboration highlights how hands-on factory evaluations and agile logistics partnerships can empower CIS-region traders to break free from monopolistic regional suppliers. For Nadia, Chengrui’s blend of traditional phenolic craftsmanship and modern manufacturing rigor has not only salvaged client relationships but positioned her firm as Belarus’s most cost-competitive insulation material solutions provider.