With the deepening implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, Central Asian mines are rapidly becoming an international stage for China’s high-end intelligent equipment to shine. Zhonghong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhonghong Heavy Machinery”), a core enterprise that originated in Qingdao and has expanded globally, is using innovation as its engine to drive its “intelligent equipment” into the new blue ocean of global “smart mine” construction. Deep within the Central Asian mines, “Qingdao-made” unmanned mining trucks traverse the vast open-pit copper mines of Kazakhstan. A large group of mining trucks moves orderly between the mine pit and the stockpile under precise commands, but the driver’s cab is empty… This is a real scene of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s independently developed remote-controlled and unmanned driving equipment in operation.
In the Laixi Economic Development Zone during winter, the chill is deepening, but the production workshop of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery is bustling with activity: CNC machine tools are operating precisely, and workers in work clothes are busy shuttling between production lines, as underground mining trucks destined for Central Asia are undergoing final debugging. “This batch of orders is an additional order from a customer in Kazakhstan. In 2025, our exports to the Central Asian market have exceeded 50 million yuan, 2.5 times that of 2024, and orders are still increasing,” said Wang Yijie, Deputy General Manager of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery.
Amidst the pressure on global trade, this impressive performance against the trend is a vivid testament to Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s technology-based approach to conquering the global market. Chairman Ning Xiaofeng’s entrepreneurial journey is more like a condensed history of China’s equipment industry’s transformation. In the 1990s, the industry’s prevailing view that “Chinese people can’t manufacture high-end mining equipment, and foreigners are earning 60% of the profits” stung every industry professional. At that time, China’s mining industry was developing rapidly, but very few companies could independently develop and produce high-end mining equipment. The high price of imported trackless mining equipment and the lagging supply of spare parts made “affordable to buy but unaffordable to use” a major pain point for many mining companies. In 1991, Ning Xiaofeng resolutely resigned from his secure job and, together with his wife Ma Chunyan, founded a trading company, embarking on a difficult entrepreneurial journey by establishing an international supply chain for equipment spare parts. The real transformation began in 2008 when Ning Xiaofeng resolutely led the company into the manufacturing field, targeting the independent research and development of trackless mining equipment. After five years of dedicated effort, in 2013, the first loader, embodying independent intellectual property rights, successfully rolled off the production line and was proudly exported overseas. With its excellent cost-performance ratio, this loader is a bestseller in the international market. Refusing a takeover bid from a multinational giant was another crucial decision made by Ning Xiaofeng leading Zhonghong Heavy Machinery. The company chose a more difficult but ultimately dignified path—adhering to its own brand. This path requires core technology as its “ballast.” In 2018, the 14-ton cable loader, the culmination of countless efforts, was successfully launched, propelling China into the ranks of the very few countries in the world capable of producing large-scale trackless mining equipment. In 2019, the investment from Luxin Capital was a recognition of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s intelligent, digital, and low-carbon strategic direction, injecting strong momentum into its overseas business expansion. Today, nearly 40% of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s revenue comes from the international market, demonstrating the company’s competitiveness in the global market. “Using domestic prices with international quality is the key to our success in fierce competition. Our product research and development and design constantly benchmark against international standards. Multiple systems, including power transmission, processing technology, electrical systems, hydraulic systems, and heat dissipation, have reached world-class levels, reducing operating costs for mines by an average of 30%,” Wang Yijie told reporters. Today, in terms of both quality and sales volume, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has become a leader in domestic high-end mining equipment, with orders exported to dozens of countries and regions. Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s market competitiveness is rooted in its almost obsessive pursuit of core technologies. In 2019, the company’s independently developed remote/automated unmanned driving system emerged, pioneering the breakthrough application of “one driver simultaneously and accurately controlling 1 to 3 pieces of equipment remotely,” completely overturning the traditional high-intensity, high-risk operation mode of mines. In 2020, the company further collaborated with top domestic universities to develop an integrated system platform that combines real-time equipment status monitoring, efficient data collection, and intelligent analysis, providing a solid technological foundation for the “green, safe, intelligent, and efficient” development of mines. The breakthroughs and integration of these core technologies mark Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s successful transformation from an equipment provider to an enabler of comprehensive smart mine solutions. Currently, the wave of smart mine construction is sweeping the globe. Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s unmanned driving equipment, remote control systems, and intelligent management platforms are powerful tools for solving industry pain points such as “difficulty in recruiting workers, high safety risks, and low management efficiency” in the mining industry. Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing mining demand in Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery, with its innovative products and smart solutions tailored to actual working conditions, has become a key partner for mining companies in building core competitiveness. The booming demand in emerging markets such as South America provides a broader stage for Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s global expansion, demonstrating the strong resilience and momentum of China’s high-end equipment manufacturing industry. Since 2019, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has further improved its global layout and enhanced its localized service capabilities. “We not only want to sell our products, but also bring our technology and services abroad, allowing Chinese brands to take root in the global market,” said Ning Xiaofeng. He explained that establishing overseas subsidiaries allows for faster response to market demands, customized product development based on the characteristics of different regions, and the collection of local market information to guide technological innovation. Today, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s overseas service network covers major market regions. Looking to the future, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery is focusing on intelligent mining and new energy equipment. “As global mining depths continue to increase and environmental requirements become increasingly stringent, intelligentization and low-carbonization have become inevitable trends in the industry,” Ning Xiaofeng explained. The company plans to become a dual leader in intelligent mining in both the Chinese and international markets within the next five years, striving to develop internationally influential competitive advantages in niche markets and key sectors. From parts trading to independent R&D and manufacturing, from breaking foreign monopolies to leading industry development, from the domestic market to a global footprint, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has completed a magnificent transformation in thirty years. This manufacturing company, rooted in Qingdao, is driving “intelligent equipment” and accelerating into the new blue ocean of “smart mines.” Ning Xiaofeng, Chairman of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., stated: “Innovation and creation have fostered new productive forces and enriched our lives. Over the past 30 years, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has overcome many obstacles and faced its darkest moments. We have persevered, and with the strong support of relevant departments and friends from all walks of life, we have continued to cultivate our business and finally reaped a bountiful harvest. We firmly believe that economic downturns, industry winters, and corporate challenges are all excellent opportunities to test our innovation capabilities and development resolve. It should be said that every step of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery’s growth is inseparable from the word ‘innovation.’ Looking back now, we realize that this choice and decision were extremely valuable. Facing difficulties means charging forward, relying on innovation to move forward. The more difficult the innovation, the more valuable it is. In the new year, we will repay society and the country with better performance, and we also hope that governments at all levels can provide more assistance to enterprises in terms of preferential policies and infrastructure investment, helping the company to reach even greater heights!”
