Driven by intelligent manufacturing, we are striding confidently toward a hundred-billion‑yuan target.

The third Quanzhou Intelligent Equipment Expo 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the “Intelligent Equipment Expo”) recently opened at the Nan’an International Convention and Exhibition Center. Unlike previous editions, this year’s event features a dedicated “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” exhibition area, further highlighting the latest achievements of Nan’an’s machinery and equipment industry in the fields of intelligent manufacturing and specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative development.

Relevant officials from the Nan’an Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government stated that Nan’an’s machinery and equipment industry has gradually established a full‑industry‑chain system integrating R&D, manufacturing, assembly, and logistics. A large number of industry leaders and star enterprises have emerged, and, leveraging the accelerating momentum of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the sector is making steady strides toward becoming a hundred‑billion‑yuan industrial cluster at the cusp of a new era of green development under the “dual carbon” goals.

Setting a benchmark for “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises, it has delivered an encouraging performance record.

Mechanical equipment is a crucial foundation for industrial upgrading. As a key base for the province’s equipment manufacturing sector, the Nan’an Smart Equipment Expo has set a benchmark for “specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation,” driving intelligent manufacturing upgrades across the entire industry. Notably, in the “specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation” domain, Nan’an has already delivered encouraging results.

According to Huang Ziya, Director of the Nan’an Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Nan’an is home to 10 “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” Little Giant enterprises and 40 provincial-level “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” SMEs, ranking first and second, respectively, among all counties, county-level cities, and districts in Quanzhou. Among the 40 provincial-level “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises, 24 are in the machinery and equipment sector, accounting for the lion’s share. Over the years, Nan’an’s industries—particularly the machinery and equipment sector—have consistently taken the lead, deepening their core competencies, boldly pursuing innovation and breakthroughs in intelligent manufacturing, and making significant contributions to strengthening and completing industrial chains. “Nan’an’s machinery and equipment industry is poised to reach the RMB 100 billion mark in the near future.”

Achieving consensus on intelligent manufacturing upgrades ensures enterprises remain invincible.

As a member of the provincial “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” enterprises, Fujian Dayu Heavy‑Duty CNC Machine Tool Co., Ltd. has developed Asia’s first CNC roll grinder for aluminum processing. Weighing 250 tons and capable of machining workpieces up to 150 tons, this machine boasts a market value exceeding RMB 12 million, making it a high‑value‑added product. As a technology‑driven entrepreneur, the company’s founder, Chen Panshui, has focused on R&D in machine tool equipment. In 2019, the high‑precision CNC roll grinder he spearheaded was selected as Fujian Province’s first-of-its-kind (set) equipment. “A single unit alone holds multiple utility‑model patents,” said a company official.

As a representative “Little Giant” enterprise under the “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” initiative, Chen Jiantuan, head of Delin Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., has also devoted himself to the R&D of equipment and machine tools for plumbing and hardware products. The new equipment they showcased at the Smart China Expo can help companies double their production efficiency. “Smart upgrades are an endless journey; this year, Delin’s R&D investment exceeds 6% of its revenue.” As one of the founding enterprises of the Smart China Expo, Zhou Sijin, head of Chenggong Machine Tool Co., Ltd. and president of the Nan’an City Machinery and Equipment Association, has consistently adhered to the business philosophy of intelligent manufacturing and technological upgrading. “Years of deep industry expertise combined with steadfast R&D have ensured our company’s enduring competitiveness,” he said. The CNC intelligent composite machine tools manufactured by the company are in high demand, with orders booked through April next year, primarily serving domestic clients in sectors such as wind power and bearings.

The industrial layout is becoming increasingly comprehensive, unleashing the magnet effect of intelligent manufacturing.

Mechanical equipment is one of Nan’an’s pillar industries. According to data from the Nan’an Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, in 2020, the sector’s output value of enterprises above designated size reached RMB 66.6 billion, accounting for 23.7% of Nan’an’s total industrial output value of such enterprises. In the first half of 2021, the mechanical equipment industry achieved an output value of RMB 32.02 billion, up 22.4% year on year.

From the perspective of industrial layout, Nan’an’s machinery and equipment industry has established a development pattern characterized by “industry + industrial base + market.” Within Nan’an’s administrative boundaries, distinctively themed industrial parks have been strategically positioned across the eastern, western, southern, northern, and central areas. These parks include provincial-level key equipment manufacturing bases such as the Binjiang Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Base (Nan’an Intelligent Equipment Industrial Park) and the Yingdu Hengshan Valve Base (Wukuang Valve Park), while the market is represented by venues like the Chenghui International Opto‑Mechatronics Trade City.

From an industry‑classification perspective, the sector encompasses ten major categories: CNC machine tools (with leading companies such as Chenggong Machine Tool and Dayu Heavy Machinery), fire‑fighting equipment (including TianGuang Fire Protection and ShuiLi Fire Protection), valve manufacturing (represented by HuHang Valves and Shengli Valves), construction‑material machinery (such as Qunfeng Machinery and Julun Machinery), industrial machinery (e.g., Nanxing Textile Machinery and Min’an Machinery), mechanical components (including Minfa Aluminum and Fanke Bearings), forging and casting (with Zhengsheng Casting and Weiguan Industrial as key players), equipment (notably Delin Intelligent and Jinjie Machinery), environmental‑protection equipment (e.g., Tianlong Environmental Protection and Luchi Environmental Protection), and other mechanical equipment (including Huiyuan Metals and Hudson Yachts).

From the perspective of industrial platforms, Nan’an boasts a range of service facilities, including the Quanzhou Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Service Center for the Machinery and Equipment Industry and the Quanzhou Nan’an Equipment Manufacturing Industry Cluster Window Service Platform, which have played a proactive role in talent matching, technical services, technology transfer and incubation, as well as information dissemination.

With a flourishing array of industries and an increasingly sophisticated industrial ecosystem, the Smart China Expo has attracted a growing number of supporters. Despite the lingering impact of the pandemic, domestic smart‑technology companies—particularly those within the province—are eagerly vying to showcase their innovations at the event.

This year, Quanzhou’s mold industry has formed a “Mold and Industrial Exhibition Group” to participate in the show. In addition to leading local mold manufacturers such as Fengyu Mould, Huake Mould, Liqi Mould, and Santai Trend Mould, the delegation also includes numerous mold‑equipment makers, mold‑base and material suppliers, 3D‑printing firms, robotic‑arm providers, and other supporting enterprises—essentially covering the full spectrum of upstream and downstream players in Quanzhou’s mold sector. Huang Xingdong, Secretary-General of the Quanzhou Mold Industry Association, noted that the mold industry is closely intertwined with the development of mechanical equipment; by exhibiting as a group, companies can leverage the platform of the Smart Expo to connect with more mold firms and related machinery‑equipment suppliers, fostering collaboration and mutual benefit. Mr. Jiang, the Fujian representative of Magmite—a company specializing in welding‑related equipment—stated that they are showcasing software services in this field. He added that they have previously established cooperative ties with the Nan’an machinery‑equipment industry through trade shows, emphasizing, “R&D and service are our core competitive advantages.”

The first batch of standard factory buildings at the Equipment Intelligent Manufacturing Park is about to be put into operation, and construction of the National Intelligent Casting Industry Innovation Center and the Valve Industrial Park is set to begin imminently… At present, Nan’an is continuously refining the ecosystem of its machinery and equipment industry, steadily amplifying the magnet effect of intelligent manufacturing, and making bold strides toward a new frontier in equipment manufacturing.

(Source: Quanzhou Evening News)