Shandong district ramps up high-quality development

The Luxi New District of Heze city – located in East China's Shandong province – is going all out to boost science and technological innovation to achieve high-quality, green and low-carbon development.

The district has helped support the development of 118 high-tech enterprises, as well as 33 specialized and sophisticated SMEs that specialize in niche markets.

Moreover, it has cutting-edge technologies, nine gazelle enterprises, four manufacturing single champion enterprises, three little giant enterprises and four academician cooperation and collaborative innovation centers.

In addition, Luxi New District is also now home to 21 provincial science and technology R&D and industrial innovation platforms, including the Shandong Lunan Drug Research Institute and the Shandong High-end Chemical Research Institute.

The output value of high-tech enterprises in the district accounts for over 80 percent of the overall industrial output of businesses with an annual revenue of at least 20 million yuan ($2.83 million).

A technician checks a sample in the Bigtree Group's lab in the Luxi New District. [Photo by Sun Anqi provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Bigtree Group is an example of a resident company that has made a breakthrough, in producing a functional plant-based enzymatic oat flour. This oat flour is said to help promote green, low-carbon sustainable development.

The production line swings into action at Kwpod Holding's plant in the Luxi New District. [Photo by Sun Anqi provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Elsewhere, Hu Qingsong, chairman of Kwpod Holding – a high-end equipment and manufacturing enterprise – said his group is also flourishing in the zone.

Kwpod Holding specializes in the R&D, manufacturing, sales and services of diesel, natural gas and methanol engines, components and generator sets. Hu said its sales have hit 400 million yuan since the start of 2023 and the company is racing to keep up with a raft of orders from all over, including such places as Uzbekistan and Dubai.

Moving forwards, the district plans to continue to support the development of sci-tech enterprises, strengthen incubator construction and talent support and improve incentives and policies to achieve more breakthroughs. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)