Qingdao: Powering Ahead in "New" Manufacturing

QINGDAO, China, March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At the beginning of this year, Qingdao's manufacturing sector is buzzing with achievements. Hisense TV shipments ranked second in the world in 2023, marking a 6.4% year-over-year increase and the fastest growth among the top five global brands for two consecutive years. Sirui Smart successfully developed China's first high-energy ion implanter with an energy reaching 8MeV, accelerating its efforts in large-scale production and assembly. Shandong Province's first Perovskite Photovoltaic Technology Innovation Center was inaugurated in Qingdao. These business cases depict the dynamic landscape of Qingdao's manufacturing industry -- advantaged sectors are steadily approaching the "global top," while emerging industries are transitioning from "quantity" to "quality" in significant strides.

The manufacturing industry serves as the cornerstone of Qingdao's economy. Over the years, Qingdao has showcased a narrative where urban economic growth is spearheaded by the remarkable development of its manufacturing sector. Presently, Qingdao hosts a multitude of industry-leading enterprises, including Haier, Hisense, Tsingtao Beer, Double Star, Aucma, Sailun, and TELD. Their prominence in sectors such as home appliances, rubber tires, and new energy charging underscores their pivotal role in industrial innovation, providing Qingdao with a significant advantage in enhancing its industrial capabilities, according to the Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government.

Meanwhile, Qingdao has also built two national manufacturing innovation centers of smart home appliances and virtual reality. It boasts two national advanced manufacturing clusters focusing on smart home appliances and rail transit equipment, along with six national new industrialization demonstration bases and 31 national manufacturing champions. With industrial enterprise R&D institutions covering 85% of the sector, Qingdao has laid the foundation for innovation breakthroughs, setting the stage for further advancements.

After years of strategic planning, Qingdao has cultivated two national cross-industrial internet platforms, namely COSMOPlat and Lemon Bean, along with more than 40 vertical industrial internet platforms. Leading the way with innovative applications in the manufacturing sector, Qingdao has been designated as a national pilot area for AI innovation applications and recognized as a Chinese Software City, highlighting its specialization in industrial software.

At Chery's Qingdao gigafactory, the automotive industry witnesses the establishment of the first mass-customized industrial internet platform, a collaborative effort between COSMOPlat and Chery, bolstering factory operations. Remarkably, a new vehicle goes off the production line here every 1.5 minutes. Supported by the world's most robust AI quality control system, the facility achieves intelligent connectivity and high-density flexible assembly, enabling rapid transitions to produce various vehicle models.

In the next step, Qingdao will accelerate the promotion of the service-oriented manufacturing model, driving manufacturing enterprises to transition towards "manufacturing + service" and "product + service" paradigms.

SOURCE Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government