As the tobacco industry enters the exploration phase of reduced harm products, Heat-Not-Burn (HNB) technology is becoming an ideal alternative for long-term smokers due to its similar taste and experience to traditional cigarettes. According to forecasts by the IMARC Group, the HNB market is expected to reach $162.8 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 24.44%. Currently, the global HNB market is dominated by a few multinational tobacco companies, with Philip Morris International (PMI) holding a 71.4% market share thanks to its patented technology.
Despite the dominance of industry giants, innovation has never ceased. At the recently concluded InterTabac in Dortmund, Germany, the well-known company "FirstUnion Group" won the 2024 Alternative Awards for "Best HNB Innovation" with its newly developed light heating technology—Alkaid. This groundbreaking innovation is set to bring a revolution to the "Heat-Not-Burn (HNB)" sector. 2Firsts conducted an exclusive interview with Dr. Zhu Bin, the head of FirstUnion Group’s Alkaid technology, to explore the development journey of this disruptive technology and its future outlook.
Focusing on user pain points, Alkaid's light heating technology offers a completely new solution.
The Alkaid light heating technology is a groundbreaking innovation in the HNB field by FirstUnion Group. Its core objective is to address the various pain points users currently encounter when using HNB products. By heating through light waves, the Alkaid technology not only rapidly generates smoke but also provides a purer taste experience in a short amount of time, while reducing the frequency of cleaning and maintenance. The breakthrough advantage of this technology lies in its ultra-high-speed heating and uniform heating across the entire spectrum.
Convenience and durability are two core advantages of Alkaid technology," Dr. Zhu Bin introduced to 2Firsts, "Traditional HNB devices often require 10 to 30 seconds of preheating time, while Alkaid technology can complete preheating and smoke production in as little as 5 seconds, reducing waiting time by up to 75% compared to traditional HNB devices. This greatly improves user convenience, reduces user waiting anxiety, and makes the user's smoking experience closer to that of lighting a traditional cigarette." At the same time, the non-contact heating principle of Alkaid's light heating technology can avoid direct contact between the cigarette and the heating element, reducing tobacco residue and tar accumulation, making the device require less frequent cleaning and prolonging its lifespan.
Internal testing by the FirstUnion Group shows that devices supporting Alkaid technology can maintain nearly identical flavor performance as new devices even after drawing 5000 puffs, with the heating element lasting over 10,000 uses.
In addition to convenience and durability, another major highlight of Alkaid light heating technology is the improvement in taste. It utilizes a full spectrum of continuous light waves to activate nicotine and flavor substances in tobacco, significantly enhancing the tobacco's flavor profile. "We conducted tests on the same type of cigarette, comparing light heating with traditional heating. Light heating increased nicotine content in aerosols by over 40%, and TPM (total particulate matter) increased by over 20%. Compared to traditional heating methods, Alkaid significantly enhances the satisfaction of smoking," said Dr. Zhu Bin.
To better demonstrate the advantages of Alkaid's solar heating technology, here is a comparison with traditional HNB heating technology:
Comparison chart of traditional heating technology and Alkaid optical heating technology | Chart by: 2Firsts
Dr. Zhu Bin summarized that FirstUnion Group's research and development always revolves around user needs. "Through continuous testing and improvement, we have ultimately allowed Alkaid technology to reach new heights in user experience.
From Inspiration to Technological Breakthrough: The Birth of Alkaid
The birth of Alkaid's light heating technology originated from a highly creative brainstorming meeting four years ago. During that discussion, the R&D team of FirstUnion Group focused on a long-standing issue that has been troubling HNB users - the slow heat transfer speed and uneven heating of current heating technologies, leading to a poor user experience.
During the meeting, an expert in the field of solar thermal energy proposed a novel idea: why not utilize the principles of solar collectors to evenly heat tobacco using the high speed and strong penetrative nature of light, similar to sunlight? This inspiration laid the foundation for the Alkaid solar heating technology.
Our initial idea was to design a structure similar to a solar collector, concentrating energy and achieving uniform heating through the strong penetrating power of shortwave light. At the same time, the collector could also gather energy and maintain temperature," recalled Dr. Zhu Bin. This idea was quickly recognized in discussions, and the research and development team immediately began forward-looking research on solar heating technology.
In subsequent experiments and testing, the team gradually realized that solar heating technology not only significantly improves heat transfer efficiency, but also shows great potential in reducing the release of harmful substances. Once the technology matures, solar heating will bring revolutionary progress to HNB products. This awareness has driven the team to continuously break through technological barriers, ultimately leading to the development of the current Alkaid solar heating technology.
Dr. Zhu Bin further added, "We later found that the Alkaid technology gives the cigarette an energy intensity approximately 1000 times that of the sun's light on the ground, allowing it to quickly heat up and provide users with an unprecedented smoking experience." This light-speed heating effect not only meets users' needs for quick response but also enhances the tobacco's flavor and authenticity, truly achieving a perfect combination of technology and user demands.
Forming an interdisciplinary team, honing the sword for four years.
Behind the structural optimization is the interdisciplinary R&D team of FirstUnion Group, which has been working hard for over four years. Dr. Zhu Bin stated that from the beginning of the R&D phase, FirstUnion has placed great importance on the Alkaid optical heating technology project, gradually increasing funding for basic research, prototype development, and subsequent testing stages each year.
Firsts has learned that, in order to facilitate the smooth advancement of the Alkaid project, the FirstUnion Group has internally formed a multidisciplinary team of over 100 members. The team includes material scientists, optical engineers, tobacco industry experts, structural engineers, electronic engineers, and others, covering a wide range of capabilities from theoretical research to technological implementation.
This group of elite soldiers encountered many challenges and difficulties during the collaborative research and development process, but ultimately always found solutions. To ensure the uniformity of heating and overall thermal management of the equipment, the team introduced advanced simulation software to optimize the design of components and light paths; through repeated experiments, they improved the material of the heating elements to optimize their lifespan and stability; they established a strict testing process to ensure that even under extreme conditions, samples could meet durability and safety standards.
From the initial concept to the laboratory prototype, and then to prototype iteration, we have spent over four years perfecting the Alkaid technology. During the research and development process, we conducted thousands of experiments to optimize heating efficiency and performance, fundamentally changing the traditional way of heat conduction as a disruptive innovation in the industry," Dr. Zhu Bin reflected on the investment in Alkaid over the past four years.
Behind the Alkaid technology is FirstUnion Group's research and development philosophy, always driven by the core focus on user needs. It is this philosophy that has led to continuous improvement in user experience. Dr. Zhu Bin summarized this process into four key steps: first, through extensive communication and research, deeply understanding the actual needs of consumers; then, setting clear technical indicators for each core pain point; next, repeatedly testing, designing modifications, and retesting in the development process; finally, inviting users to personally experience specific functional modules and using their satisfaction as the ultimate acceptance criteria.
It is worth mentioning that FirstUnion Group started exploring HNB technology in 2012, collaborated with clients to release its first HNB product in 2013, introduced electromagnetic heating technology in 2019, and launched infrared heating products from 2021 to 2022. The HNB products developed in collaboration with clients by FirstUnion Group have been selling well in multiple countries and regions worldwide.
Harnessing light will inspire the future, breaking the current pattern is just around the corner.
In the emerging tobacco industry, safety and compliance have always been important topics of concern. FirstUnion Group has also made it one of the core principles in developing the Alkaid technology. Firsts has learned that the heating element of Alkaid uses non-toxic and harmless SiO2 glass material, which not only eliminates the toxic risks that traditional heating methods may bring, but also effectively stimulates tobacco fragrance substances through full-band radiation, further reducing the release of harmful substances. According to the results of the smoke composition analysis, the release of harmful substances with Alkaid technology is reduced by about 20% compared to traditional heating methods.
In terms of compliance, Dr. Zhu Bin revealed that the FirstUnion Group has applied for patent protection for Alkaid optical heating technology in multiple dimensions, from the selection of heating materials, structural optimization to temperature control, striving to build a strong technological moat. At the same time, the FirstUnion Group is actively involved in the formulation of industry standards, establishing a strict quality management system to ensure that every step complies with relevant regulations and standards. Dr. Zhu Bin confidently stated, "We believe that Alkaid optical heating technology will soon break the existing competitive landscape in the HNB industry." As the theme of this press conference expresses, "Guiding light, just a step away from the future.
In the pursuit of innovation, FirstUnion Group's Alkaid solar heating technology has not only ushered in a new era for HNB products, but also symbolizes humanity's ongoing quest for a healthy lifestyle. This groundbreaking technology is gradually dispelling the health risks associated with traditional smoking methods, bringing unprecedented change for the sustainable development of the entire industry.
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