Jiangxi Xinyu industrial zone may emerge as lighting hub

Slowly but surely, the Xinyu National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Jiangxi province is gaining traction and could soon emerge as China's largest electrical lighting hub, if the efforts of Jiangxi MLS Lighting Tech Co Ltd pay off.

The LED bulb manufacturer, which was established in the zone last year, is trying to persuade its suppliers to relocate to the zone. It is expecting to see sales of 3 billion yuan ($464 million) in 2016.

The wholly owned subsidiary of MLS Co Ltd, China's third-largest LED bulb manufacturer based in Guangdong province, exports half of its output, said Wen Liangping, its general manager.

Europe and the United States account for 60 percent of its overseas sales. Overseas markets, he said, demand high quality products and Jiangxi MLS ensures each and every part of its LED lighting systems are top class.

"We have more than 100 patents on different parts of the lighting systems, including power sources, chips and packaging styles," Wen said.

Jiangxi MLS Lighting is building more plants to expand its capacity, he said.

"We are confident about the industrial development zone in Xinyu, which provides us a wonderful investment environment."

Like Jiangxi MLS, WG Tech Co Ltd was attracted to the zone, only much earlier, in 2009. It was listed on the over-the-counter New Third Board earlier this year. It works on mobile phone glass thinning, across chemical and electronic industries, said Han Naiping, finance director of WG Tech, which has 88 patents on mobile phone glass thinning technology.

Companies such as WG Tech is what the city of Xinyu needs, after its traditional industries went into recession.

In a move by the local government to address the industrial imbalances, Xinyu is now focusing on various modern industries such as mobile phones, tablet devices, LED lighting devices and security equipment.