City plans to build 70 new smart factories this year
Shanghai officials announced on Wednesday that the city will create 70 smart factories this year with increased adoption of industrial robots and financial support to establish the "Shanghai Format" for smart manufacturing.
Shanghai currently boasts 100 smart factories and produces more than 100 billion yuan (US$14.1 billion) in smart manufacturing industry output annually. Zhang Ying, director of the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization, stated that it places the city at the forefront of the country in terms of the development of smart manufacturing, a national strategy intended to promote digital transformation and industrial upgrading.
In an effort to promote smart manufacturing, local officials said on Wednesday that the city will create its own "Shanghai Format" for the industry.
City officials and experts spoke at a conference to push up smart manufacturing development in Shanghai.
The city plans to construct 200 smart factories by 2025, with 70 new ones planned for the year. With a robot density of 383 robots per 10,000 people, industries will employ almost 10,000 more robots, putting them in the top class worldwide.
On Wednesday, companies providing finance, technology, and other associated support for smart manufacturing came together to form an industry partnership group for smart manufacturing. Shanghai Electric, China Mobile's Shanghai office, and the Bank of Shanghai are among the initial group of members.
According to the commission, by 2023, the average productivity of the city's smart factories had risen by over 50 percent, while operational costs had decreased by over 30 percent, and energy consumption per unit of added value had reduced by 13.8 percent.
The advanced automotive sector, which comprises one-third of all smart factories with SAIC, GM, and Tesla plants located in the city, is a "Shanghai Format" model.
