Tongwei Co. Ltd., founded in 1995, initially focused on producing and selling aquaculture and livestock feed. In 2006, the company entered the photovoltaic (PV) new energy industry. Since then, it has consistently maintained leading production volumes in high-purity silicon and solar cell modules. Tongwei adopted a specialized, decentralized, and differentiated development model, concentrating on three key segments of the PV industry chain. In early 2023, facing increasing competition and a growing trend towards industry integration, Tongwei considered whether to fully integrate its industry chain, pursue partial integration, or continue with its specialization strategy.
Iloof Technology Co. Ltd. was a Chinese start-up high-technology company at the forefront of the smart water bottle market, one of the newest sectors in the reusable water bottle industry. Smart bottles or cups, also known as interactive water bottles, were technologically advanced devices that had wireless communication capabilities to connect with electronic devices, such as smart phones. They also helped record and optimize the user’s water intake and develop healthy drinking habits. In 2016, after two years of research and development, Iloof Technology Co. Ltd. released its first smart water cup, the HeyDo S1, to great success. However, after three quarters of growth, sales slowed and the company’s founder considered expanding to traditional or offline channels to sustain growth. Could the company operate in both online and offline markets? What potential challenges would the company face in its sales channel expansion?