From 0 to 1: Qi Peijun’s 5-Year Mission to Reinvent Gas Sensor Technology at Heshun Sensing

In an industrial park surrounded by lush greenery in Shenzhen’s Dapeng New District, Qi Peijun, founder of Heshun Sensing, brewed tea and shared: “‘Heshun’ comes from the idea that people with shared aspirations are never separated by mountains or seas. ‘Shun’ represents moving with the times—achieving success without forcing it. We chose this location not only for its clean environment but also to keep our minds clear as we tackle tough technological challenges.”

A Zhejiang-born entrepreneur who began his career in chip trading in Huaqiangbei, Qi has spent the past five years leading his team through a bold transformation—from traders to true innovators—pushing forward domestic breakthroughs in a high-tech sector long dominated by overseas players.

Recently, the editorial team from Slkor (www.slkoric.com) visited the Heshun Sensing factory, where Mr. Qi shared his five-year journey of overcoming gas sensor R&D challenges and building technology from the ground up.

 

Exterior of the two Heshun Sensing buildings

 

"I came to Shenzhen in August 2011," recalled Qi Peijun. A native of Cixi, Zhejiang, he arrived with the entrepreneurial spirit typical of Zhejiang businesspeople and began his journey in Huaqiangbei’s chip trading sector. This early experience gave him deep insight into the electronic components industry and gradually made him realize the limitations between pure trading and the real economy. "Trading strengthens operational agility, but building in the real economy demands broader, multidimensional thinking."

In 2019, he made a decisive shift into gas sensor research and founded Heshun Sensing. Sharing the origin of this transition, Qi said: "Gas sensors are the ‘electronic nose’ that protects lives and ensures safety. This field has extremely high technical barriers, and domestic players still lag behind global leaders. At present, Chinese gas sensor technology trails foreign counterparts by nearly thirty years. But we believe that with continuous innovation, Chinese engineers are fully capable of building world-class products."

It is this sense of industrial mission and long-term commitment that has fueled his persistence in a field where progress requires unwavering investment and patience.

 

Mr. Qi Peijun, Founder of Heshun Sensing

 

"The core of gas sensors lies in their materials—this is the industry's greatest technical barrier," said Qi Peijun. Since its founding, the company has remained firmly committed to independent R&D, channeling substantial resources into the development of sensitive materials. "We've invested heavily on the materials side and have overcome numerous bottleneck technologies. At present, I believe our electrochemical carbon monoxide sensor is already on par with leading Japanese products. Several other sensor material systems are also expected to achieve major breakthroughs next year, which could place us at the forefront of the domestic market."

 

Carbon monoxide sensor after testing

 

In terms of production processes, Heshun Sensing has established a complete odor control system. "Any potential odor sources, such as nail polish, perfume, hair wax, or even employees wearing makeup, are prohibited from entering the production line. Staff must also wear specific clean outerwear and shoe covers to enter," Qi Peijun explained. "Because gas sensors act as safety shields and are core components in many life-saving tools, the production environment requirements are extremely strict." This stringent standard has been integrated into every detail of daily operations. "We have a concept of being a 'sensor person.' The reception desk is the first checkpoint, needing to screen visitors for makeup, nail polish, perfume, or consumption of strongly odorous foods like mala tang, snail noodles, or hot pot." Through this consistent, strict odor control, Heshun Sensing fundamentally ensures that products are not interfered with by any trace gases during the production process, thereby achieving high product consistency.

 

Dressed appropriately before entering the production line

 

After five years of steady progress, Heshun Sensing has achieved remarkable breakthroughs in domestic substitution across several key sectors. “Today, we hold the largest market share in carbon monoxide detectors for energy storage in China and are the only domestic company capable of fully replacing a major Japanese brand,” Qi Peijun shared. The company has also excelled in the small generator market, becoming the exclusive domestic supplier in this segment.

A particularly noteworthy milestone came in 2024, when Heshun Sensing became the first domestic enterprise to simultaneously obtain dual certifications for both hydrogen and carbon monoxide detection. “This achievement signifies that our products have passed national-level accreditation—a major breakthrough for China in this field,” Qi emphasized. Behind these accomplishments lies the team’s significant progress in advanced materials technology.

 

Corridor leading to Heshun Sensing's laboratory and production line

 

Currently, Heshun Sensing has grown far beyond its original single product line, expanding to more than ten gas sensor products spanning catalytic combustion, optical infrared, and electrochemical technologies. Among these, carbon monoxide sensors, catalytic methane sensors, and planar hydrogen sensors have become customer favorites, with several products entering the supply chains of industry leaders such as CATL and BYD through Tier-1 suppliers.

“Our strength isn’t just competitive pricing—it’s our rapid, engineer-level technical support,” noted Qi Peijun. “While international brands rely on overseas service teams, we deliver fast, localized support right here in China.”

 

Heshun Sensing product display counter

 

Heshun Sensing - Electrochemical Carbon Monoxide

 

Facing the gap with international giants, Qi Peijun put forward a clear and pragmatic “three-step” strategy. “Step one: learn to ‘copy the homework’ well. Step two: match the original as closely as possible. Step three: surpass it.”

This grounded mindset also defines their R&D methodology. “We follow a model of ‘reverse engineering + forward innovation.’ We uncover the underlying principles through reverse engineering, then combine those insights with real demands of the domestic market to drive forward-looking innovation.”

Through this strategic approach, Heshun Sensing has achieved breakthroughs in sensitive materials, core formulations, and production processes—ultimately creating gas sensors whose performance competes with global leaders while aligning more precisely with the needs of Chinese customers.

 

Fully automated production line equipment

 

Regarding the company's future development, Qi Peijun has a clear layout:
"Heshun Sensing must first achieve breakthroughs in materials; secondly, we need to transition from the civilian market to the industrial field; finally, because Chinese companies don't yet hold a place globally in this sector, I hope that within five years, Heshun Sensing can capture over 5% of the global gas sensor market share."

At the same time, he sees even broader application prospects:
"We are entering the AI era; humanoid robots are becoming a crucial track, and the ‘nose’—a core sensory organ for robots—is indispensable. Whether it's a home robot detecting burnt food during cooking or a firefighting robot dog identifying deadly toxic gases at a fire scene, all of it relies on advanced gas sensor technology."

Qi Peijun during the interview

 

From counting chips in Huaqiangbei to leading an industrial park in Dapeng, Shenzhen; from the linear mindset of trading to the multi-dimensional challenges of hands-on R&D—Qi Peijun and Heshun Sensing’s five-year journey embodies the spirit of China’s hard-tech entrepreneurs. They make no flashy claims, instead advancing steadily and methodically in materials, processes, and market development. As Qi Peijun remarked: "We have only taken the first step in import substitution, but this step must be taken steadily and solidly."