Chalk manufacturer sees innovation as key to industry upgrade

As Chinese classrooms turn digital, chalk seems out of the picture.

But for Liu Dafeng, the largest chalk manufacturer in Liuyuan village, in Hubei province, where 80 percent of chalk in China is produced, it's just another chance to move up the industrial value chain and generate more profit. Liu's business has a current annual output of 20 million yuan ($2.89 million).

"There are high-tech embedded products that are becoming popular in today's classrooms. Chalk used on projection cloth in multimedia classrooms is powder-free and environmentally friendly," Liu said, adding that "chalk products can be used in other industries like clothing and machinery." To him, alternative uses for chalk like hair dyeing and toys are no longer something new.