2026 World Manufacturing Convention: From Product Displays to Integrated Manufacturing Ecosystems

More than 900 companies and 10,000-plus exhibits bring China's smart manufacturing value chains to life

HEFEI, China, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2026 World Manufacturing Convention opened Sept. 20 at the Hefei Binhu International Convention and Exhibition Center, where a humanoid robot landed a pitch-pot throw, an inspection robot patrolled and an electric cargo drone demonstrated vertical takeoff and landing at Luogang Park.

Running through Sept. 23 under the theme "Intelligent Manufacturing for a Better Future," the 70,000-square-meter convention allocates 20,000 square meters to manufacturing innovation and achievements and 50,000 to commercial exhibits. More than 900 companies present 10,000-plus products and technologies.

Organizers structured the exhibition around manufacturing value chains.

In the smart mining equipment area, a three-dimensional cutaway model showcases Huainan's mining robotics cluster, anchored by T.SPEC and Tangxing Technology. It recreates the workflow from underground roadway development to shaft hoisting and demonstrates eight core applications, including excavation and roof support, roadway tunneling, materials and pipe handling, hydraulic-support transport, shaft-rope replacement and coal-bunker cleaning, with every equipment model shown in operation.

The manufacturing innovation and achievements pavilion features a 180-qubit superconducting quantum processor; BEST, the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak, or "artificial sun," being developed as a pathway toward fusion energy; the Lingjing Zaowu AI research platform from the Scientific Intelligence Materials Creation Center; solid-state transformers; and a ground-based planetary-environment simulation facility. Bringing together quantum technologies, hydrogen and fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied AI, 6G and advanced materials—all requiring sustained R&D—the pavilion reflects manufacturing's shift from scale-driven expansion to innovation-led growth.

The exhibits move beyond products to present interconnected manufacturing ecosystems.

The smart and connected vehicle area spans finished vehicles, EV batteries, automotive semiconductors and by-wire chassis systems. The next-generation information technology and clean-energy zone covers power infrastructure for AI, computing capacity, human-machine interfaces and AI-enabled applications. Biomanufacturing exhibits trace development from gene editing, cell-factory R&D and pilot-scale optimization to intelligent high-volume production and commercial deployment.

Guest province Sichuan is highlighting regional manufacturing collaboration under the theme "Smart Manufacturing in Tianfu, Connected to Global Value Chains." The international zone features multinationals, including Continental Tires and Corning Display Technologies, and China-based joint ventures. The United Kingdom is the first country to return as guest country of honor.

In the technology-enabled senior care area, Anhui Longchuang Intelligent Technology demonstrated millimeter-wave radar that detects falls and alerts family members and nearby care or emergency teams without a call for help. In bedrooms, an alert delay of about one minute prevents ordinary movements, including bending or squatting, from generating false alarms. The company's smart-space management platform serves more than 50,000 senior care facilities and homes.

From components to advanced equipment, the convention tracks China's transition from "Made in China" to "Smart Manufacturing in China." In the first seven months of 2026, Anhui produced 2.0158 million vehicles, including 1.0903 million electric vehicles, and exported 1.227 million, ranking among China's leaders across several measures. The figures offer evidence of the transformation underway.