Internet of things (IoT) supplier BOE Technology is to establish a smart manufacturing base in Chongqing by the end of this year, according to local media reports on Oct 17.

The factory, to be located in Lingjiang New Area's Shuitu High-tech Industrial Park, will cost around 1.53 billion yuan ($232 million) and cover some 160,000 square meters.

BOE's smart manufacturing system, which consists of both online and offline platforms, allows customers to customize their designs and orders for products such as televisions, semiconductors and other branded products. Orders can be made online using the iMaker platform, then followed through offline via a maker workshop and intelligent factory, integrating new information technologies with traditional manufacturing.

Once the factory put into operation, it will be able to produce about 100 million products such as LCD televisions, mobile displays and vehicle display terminals per year, reaching an annual production value of about 8 billion yuan ($1.21 billion).

Yao Xiangjun, vice president of BOE and CEO of the company's intelligent system business, said, "BOE Chongqing intelligent production line will devote itself to becoming an example of 'intelligent factory' and realize the integration of industrialization and informatization."

A technician focuses on his research at BOE's Chongqing factory. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Seizing the highland in global industry revolution

Intelligent manufacturing has become a vital part of BOE's smart systems, one of the company's three major business sectors along with display devices and healthcare services.

The manufacturing business has seen an increase of 54 percent since 2014 and is expected to maintain an average increase speed of 30 percent.

BOE has stepped up its efforts developing and producing AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting diode) displays. It is the second company to master flexible display technology and go into mass production, following Samsung Electronics.

The new factory in Chongqing is the third step of BOE's smart factories layout following those in Suzhou and Hefei to provide customized tailor-made services for consumers to tap into the intelligent manufacturing field, thus seeking to overturn the existing model. It is also developing online-to-offline medical services and cutting-edge mobile health intelligent products.

BOE's transparent screens attract visitors at the exhibition hall of Chongqing BOE. [Photo by Gao Ke/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Seeking innovation development in the future

Innovation is key to a company's development and expansion. Chongqing BOE has established a semiconductor display technology R&D center costing a total of 393 million yuan.

The R&D center has employed over 1,000 technicians focusing on core technologies including copper processing, COA, oxide, and touch screen.

The Chongqing branch of BOE has developed more than 130 products and technologies last year and most of them has realized mass production.

BOE Group has applied patents for its 7,570 products last year, ranked 40 places in Top 50 USPTO Patent Assignees in 2016, according to IFI Claims.

Two technicians attend to their work at BOE's Chongqing factory. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]