Laoshan district is now a top spot in Qingdao for smart manufacturing and industrial internet, with 174 companies in the sector and a total industrial scale exceeding 31 billion yuan ($4.36 billion).

Big platforms hold this ecosystem together. Haier's COSMOPlat, an industrial internet platform worth 116.34 billion yuan, offers digital solutions. It helps companies cut R&D time by 20 percent, raise production by 18 percent, and lower costs by 15 percent.

Another major player, Qingdao Techen Holdings Group, has solutions for flexible manufacturing and smart logistics. Its work with Foxconn Industrial Internet has created a top-notch factory for the instrument and meter industry.

To support this, the district has set up industrial parks. The Laoshan Smart Manufacturing and Industrial Internet Industrial Park, launched in late 2023, has a "one core, multiple points" layout. Parks like Chuangsheng Instrumentation Park focus on niche areas, with over 50 companies.

One company, Single-Cell Biotech, created the world's first high-throughput flow Raman sorter, while Link-transform Intelligent Technology has launched an automated workstation boosting lab work.

From platform support to special equipment, Laoshan has built a strong industrial system ready for more leadership in advanced manufacturing.

Laoshan district is a top spot in Qingdao for smart manufacturing and industrial internet. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]