Digital upgrading gains steam in Ningbo

A workshop of Youngor, a fashion brand in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province has been leading the nation in the upgrading of the manufacturing sector through 5G and industrial internet technologies.

To date, nine factories powered by 5G networks in the city have been listed as national models by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which designated Ningbo as a pilot city for 5G and industrial internet applications in 2019.

In the past five years, Ningbo has implemented digital upgrading for more than 10,000 projects, 81 of which have been honored as municipal demonstration application scenarios of 5G and industrial internet technologies.

Most companies from the city have undergone one to two rounds of upgrading.

One such company is Youngor, a local fashion brand, which has built several unmanned production lines using digital technologies.

According to Gu Yuejun, a staff member at Youngor, the production efficiency of the company's headquarters in Ningbo has improved by 25 to 30 percent following the upgrading.

He noted that the time required to produce a tailored suit has been slashed form the original 15 days to five, and the time can even be shortened to two days in special cases.

Ningbo has pledged to build more than 200 5G-enabled factories by 2025 as part of its efforts to become a global innovation hub for smart manufacturing.