Development zone upgrades manufacturing sectors

A smart workshop swings into gear at Dongfeng Honda in the WEDZ. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

Automobile manufacturing is the backbone industry of the city of Wuhan – capital of Central China's Hubei province – and these days it continues to go from strength to strength.

Over the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, or WEDZ posted automobile industry output worth 1.16 trillion yuan ($159.85 billion) and about 5.5 million cars produced in the zone were sold.

As the growth engine for traditional manufacturing wanes, it has become even more urgent to develop emerging businesses. Meanwhile, the industrial structure of the zone also needs to be optimized to enhance its capacity to meet challenges and resist risks.

In the meantime, the WEDZ's solid manufacturing foundations have brought new opportunities for the manufacturing sector to integrate with modern services.

Based on leading automakers owned by Dongfeng Motor Co, the zone has also established an auto spare parts industrial cluster and has attracted a group of new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicle research centers and related enterprises.

In order to extend the value chain of producer services, the WEDZ continues to strengthen the leading role of corporate champions and has made new breakthroughs and innovations in technology, products and services through the transformation of smart manufacturing.