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From September 9 to 11, 2026, the Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (GTNF) was held in Lisbon, Portugal, bringing together companies and industry representatives from across the global tobacco and nicotine sector to exchange views on innovation, regulation and industry development.
At the “Innovation 360: Established Industry” panel, Dr. Yu Kang, Head of the Hangsen Research Institute and Chief Scientific Officer of Hangsen International Group, was invited to share her perspectives on how innovation in the e-cigarette industry has changed over the past decade. Hangsen established the Hangsen Research Institute in 2022, and Dr. Kang’s work focuses primarily on innovation, compliance and toxicology.
She noted that the e-cigarette industry has evolved rapidly and that, for a high-tech company like Hangsen, innovation remains a core responsibility. Looking back over the past ten years, she highlighted significant changes in product development, the regulatory environment and the overall maturity of the industry.
One of the clearest changes has been the relationship between e-liquids and devices.
In the past, e-liquids were typically supplied in bottles, with consumers selecting and matching them with devices on their own. As products have evolved, however, compatibility between e-liquids and hardware has become increasingly important.
Dr. Kang noted that e-liquids and hardware now need to be compatible, and Hangsen has therefore placed greater emphasis on co-developing these products.
As product formats continue to evolve, the relationship between e-liquid development and hardware is becoming increasingly close, making compatibility and co-development more important.
Regulation has also been one of the major changes shaping the industry over the past decade, with Dr. Kang identifying 2016 as an important milestone.
That year, the EU Tobacco Products Directive became applicable across member states, while the U.S. FDA also introduced regulatory requirements for e-cigarette products. China later established national-level guidance and regulatory requirements, further driving the supply chain toward compliance.
Dr. Kang stated that Hangsen has also established dedicated departments and teams and built its own safety and compliance framework. For Hangsen, compliance has become an important part of how the company approaches innovation.
As the e-cigarette industry has matured, the direction of innovation has also continued to evolve.
Dr. Kang noted that greater industry maturity has given companies more resources and opportunities to invest in step-change innovation, harm-reduction efforts and exploratory transformations.
She linked these shifts to changes within companies, as well as in the market, among consumers and among clients. Hangsen continues to focus on providing high-quality products while exploring new product directions.
The company is also investing further effort in new types of products with harm-reduction potential. For Hangsen, harm reduction and compliance are both important considerations in the way innovation is approached, and the company looks forward to working with partners moving in the same direction.
The perspectives shared by Dr. Kang at GTNF 2026 also reflect Hangsen’s continued focus on product development, compliance and innovation. With long-standing experience in e-liquid research and manufacturing, Hangsen continues to strengthen its R&D capabilities, while the Hangsen Research Institute further expands the company’s work in innovation, safety and compliance.
As the relationship between e-liquids and hardware becomes increasingly interconnected, Hangsen continues to deepen product development and technical collaboration with device manufacturers, brand partners and other participants across the value chain, helping e-liquid development adapt to evolving product formats and market needs.
From hardware and e-liquid co-development to safety and compliance, and from harm reduction to exploratory innovation, these changes are increasingly reflected in Hangsen’s R&D and product development practices. Looking ahead, Hangsen will continue to advance scientific research and product innovation while working with global partners to explore new directions in e-liquid and next-generation product development.
HANGSEN INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Global E-Liquid Solution Provider
Hangsen is a world-leading e-liquid manufacturer, offering custom flavor solutions for vape devices and premium white-label e-liquid services. Our e-liquids are renowned for their high consistency, stability, safety, and regulatory compliance. With business operations spanning over 80 countries and regions worldwide, Hangsen continues to set industry standards.
For inquiries about flavor customization or e-liquid manufacturing services, contact [email protected].
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