In a year that has become synonymous with struggle, 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for companies and people around the world. As a company looking back on this year, we at Vaporesso are very proud of the things we have achieved, the obstacles we have overcome, and the good that we have spread out into the world.
From battling COVID-19 to supporting our parent company, SMOORE, in the IPO, and meeting the lofty requirements of PMTA, our team has also been involved in many public welfare initiatives, strengthening our relationship with partners around the world. Throughout all this, we have still been able to launch a number of new products and solidified Vaporesso as a leading brand in the vaping industry.
Started with a Bang
With nation-wide lockdown across China following the outbreak of COVID-19, our Shenzhen-headquartered company started the year on the back foot. With factory production lines grinding to a halt, the team quickly fashioned a plan to resume work as soon as it was safe to do so, whilst also minimizing any risk of personnel infection.
Aside from organizing specially-purposed food, accommodation, and disinfection supplies, anti-epidemic training exercises were conducted across the entire organization. Masks were distributed, movements were recorded and workspaces were consistently disinfected.
Whilst the situation was coming under control at home, Vaporesso was also working to assist our international partners. We put together and distributed an epidemic-prevention brochure based on our own experiences, donated over 100,000 masks, and provided vape kits, food, and financial support.
Going Public
Despite the chaos produced by COVID-19, at 9:30 am on July 10th, 2020, Vaporesso's parent company, SMOORE International (6969.HK) was officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This was not just an important milestone because of the timing, but also because it marked the first vaping company to list on any stock exchange.
SMOORE International is a powerhouse in atomization research and development, and the world’s largest vaping equipment provider. The successful listing in Hong Kong speaks to SMOORE’s role in setting a global industry benchmark and proves there is a growing interest in supporting the development of vaping as an industry.
In Preparation for Regulation
In light of the incoming Premarket Tobacco Application (PMTA) regulations set by the American FDA, Vaporesso would like to call on our vaping community to rest assured; we have for years been working with professional service providers and contract research organizations in the US to ensure we would be ready when the time comes. This is part of our commitment to our valued community of partners and customers to providing a safe and legal alternative to smoking cigarettes. Supported by a world-class R&D team from SMOORE and years of ODM/OEM manufacturing experience, Vaporesso has been able to maintain consistent and exceptional vaping products since day one.
It was through this thorough preparation that Vaporesso was able to overcome the extremely challenging and complicated process, requiring a considerable investment of manpower, capital, and time, to submit the necessary documentation in accordance with PMTA standards. By September 1st, we were informed that our PMTA application had passed the first two rounds of rigorous review, marking us as the first vaping brand in the industry to do so. Also as part of our commitment to the community, the costs involved in passing PMTA certification will not be carried over onto the products themselves.
Next-Gen Product Releases
With the production line and research labs up and running by mid-March, innovation was full-steam ahead. New offerings, designed to meet different demands of nicotine satisfaction, taste, feel, ease of operation, and user-friendliness, include the XROS, LUXE PM40, GENs, FORZ TX80, as well as many more in the Pods, Pod Mods, and Mods product ranges.
Stronger Than the Sum of our Part
Despite being physically out of touch this year, we have grown ever closer to our incredibly important international partner network. Instead of launching offline roadshows and product unveilings, we have had to get creative in the way we do business together.
For Vaporesso, our relationship with major e-juice manufacturers and suppliers is very important. This year, we cooperated with 15 major brands, including some of the largest names such as Naked100, Charlie's Chalk, 7 Daze, Twist, Solace, and The Finest to launch mutually beneficial initiatives, simultaneously promoting both brands and involved products. We also partnered with Naked100 to curb the risk of in-store infections by distributing hand sanitizer to more than 1,000 offline stores and worked again with Naked100 and The Finest to gift vaping equipment and e-juice trials to prospective customers.
Vaporesso also partnered with Slam City to encourage people to quit smoking during this year’s Stoptober campaign.
We also focused on developing relationships with suppliers in emerging markets such as the world’s top e-juice brand, Nasty Juice, and Indonesia’s EMKAY, J.R.X., and HERO57.
Purposeful Business
Creating a successful business gives us the opportunity and resources to give back to society. At Vaporesso, we take our social responsibility very seriously and 2020 has been a year of opportunity for us to give.
Aside from donating epidemic-prevention supplies to our global partners, we also supported a live-streamed giveaway event to raise money for the needy Lancashire hospice, made a donation of 70 million rupiah to help Indonesians affected by the epidemic, and much more.
To 2021 and Beyond
2020 has been a year of growth for our entire team at Vaporesso. We are so thankful for the continued support granted by partners from around the world. To vape stores, distributors, retailers, and everyone involved in the Powershop program, we would like to say thank you.
Into the future, we are looking forward to paying forward the support offered to us by helping other less fortunate people around the world.
We are also very excited to continue our pursuit of providing an exceptional vaping experience to our 8 million (and growing) satisfied customers around the world. Innovation is at the heart of what we do at Vaporesso, and there’s lots more to come.
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