Follow the bouncing ball to Hebei province

Various kinds of balls made in a town in Hebei province have been used widely at home and abroad.

Luofa township in the Anci district of Langfang — about 60 kilometers southeast of downtown Beijing — has produced sports balls for more than three decades, including basketballs, soccer balls and volleyballs.

"The 9,000 volleyballs will be exported to Ukraine, and the 15,000 soccer balls will go to Bangladesh," said Liu Chunguang, head of ball manufacturer Chunguang Sports Goods Co, on Tuesday.

"Now is the busiest time in the industry," Liu said, adding that orders are lined up until June.

More than 90 percent of the balls the company makes are exported to foreign countries, including the United States, Argentina and Germany, he said.

The district boasts more than 30 ball-making factories, which have exported more than 5 million balls annually, with the value of exports reaching 109 million yuan (about $15 million), local authorities said. The industry has created thousands of jobs for local residents.