Sunward breaks ground on 'industrial city'

Chinese construction equipment manufacturer Sunward has broken ground on its new 1.78 km² factory, which it describes as an 'industrial city'. Sunward says it will invest a total of US$ 700 million in the plant in Changsha, Hunan province.

The first phase of the project, which is due to be completed next year, will see some 700000 m² of factories built for the production of piling rigs, drill rigs and excavators. Sunward says it will produce some US$ 130 million worth of these machines from the first-phase factory.

The second phase of the development will see the construction of factories for components, compact equipment and lifting machinery, as well as a new headquarters building. A third phase is also planned.

Sunward says that the new factory will increase its production capacity, as well as help reduce costs related to energy and logistics. The company also claims that it will be the largest foundation equipment factory anywhere in the world and the largest excavator plant in southern China.

Changsha is one of China's major construction equipment manufacturing centres, and is home to big players like Sany and Zoomlion, as well as Sunward. According to Sunward, the city produced US$ 17.1 billion dollars worth of construction equipment last year, accounting for 23% of domestic and 7.2% of world demand.