A packaging workshop belonging to MLily. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

MLily, a leading mattress brand headquartered in Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has achieved remarkable success, with its products reaching 110 countries and regions. This global expansion can be attributed to three key factors: innovation in research and development, smart manufacturing, and a strategic approach to production and sales.

By investing in innovation, MLily has expanded beyond mattresses to offer a diverse range of home furnishings, including beds, pillows, and sofas, allowing the brand to capture a larger market share.

Mattresses produced by MLily. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Its emphasis on smart manufacturing has also played a critical role in its growth. The company has incorporated automated production equipment and digital systems to streamline its manufacturing processes, ensuring that high-quality products can be produced efficiently.

The third factor is MLily's strategic layout for both production and sales. The brand boasts over 10,000 sales outlets worldwide and has established production bases in the United States, Thailand, Spain, and Serbia. Additionally, MLily has acquired several overseas retail brands, bringing it closer to its target customers.

MLily's journey to global success began at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou. In April 2004, the company participated in the fair for the first time and received orders for about 10 containers of memory foam products. This was a significant leap from the occasional small orders it had received before.

Moreover, at the fair, Ni Zhanggen, the chairman, learned about a major change in China's foreign trade policy, which reduced the required registered capital for foreign trade businesses from 3 million yuan ($414,078) to 500,000 yuan. Acting quickly, Ni called the factory to secure foreign trade rights, paving the way for MLily's expansion into international markets.

Following this turning point, Ni shifted his focus to international exhibitions, directly engaging with overseas clients in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Japan, and other countries, ultimately building a portfolio of major international customers.