Want Want Group to expand factory in Sichuan province

The Longchang Head Factory of the Want Want Group in Longchang, Sichuan province, will have six new production lines installed in the second half of this year to produce black and white sandwich biscuits and crunchy rice balls, according to Luo Xingguang, head of the factory.

The six production lines are expected to achieve an industrial output value of 150 million yuan ($22 million) each year, Luo said.

Founded in 2001, the factory had fewer than 100 employees and its industrial output value was 7.5 million yuan. It now has 1,200 employees and its industrial output value is nearly 800 million yuan, he said.

The Want Want Group has invested an additional investment of $3 million in the factory this year. It is the fifth time that the group has increased its investment there.

Luo attributed his factory's rapid expansion to the rising market demand in Southwest China, which holds a profitable way and business environment for its leisure food.

The Longchang municipal government has always tried its utmost to solve the factory's difficulties, he said.

Natural gas is very important to the factory's production. To ensure consumers' huge demand for leisure food during the Spring Festival, the factory ushers in the peak production period from November to December every year.

"To ensure natural gas supply, Longchang's relevant government departments have led us to the gas company many times. The efforts have enabled the gas company to guarantee the factory's gas demand and made us feel very content", Luo said.