Since the start of this year, Nanhu District has continuously strengthened the guiding role of leading enterprises and unleashed new quality productive forces, invigorating the development of its advanced manufacturing clusters. The scale of its three major industries has grown by nearly 24% year-on-year. Value added from large-scale high-tech industries grew 10.3%, and core digital economy manufacturing rose 20.3%. Additionally, flexible electronics was included in the province's future industry pilot zone cultivation list, injecting fresh impetus into the region's high-quality development.

Leading Enterprises Drive Expansion of Pillar Industries

On July 21st, the 2026 Fortune China 500 list was released, featuring two Nanhu-based companies, Satellite Holding and Minth Group. Satellite Holding particularly stood out, securing the 188th spot nationally with USD 16.226 billion in revenue, topping the list within Jiaxing. Rooted in Nanhu, Satellite Group consistently plays its role as a chain-leading enterprise, helping Jiaxing build a world-class new materials hub. Several major projects have landed in Nanhu recently, including a 90,000-ton acrylic acid and 100,000-ton refined acrylic acid plant that came online in October, while a 150,000-ton super absorbent polymer technical upgrade is progressing. A green upgrade project for acrylic esters is also underway, aimed at optimizing the industrial chain, improving resource efficiency, and amplifying industrial clustering effects.

Chain leaders act as the locomotive for the industrial chain and a powerful magnet for industrial clusters. This year, Nanhu companies Cleyxar and New Hengtai have succeeded in going public, boosting momentum within the district's leading industries. Jiaxipera has spearheaded the creation of an industrial alliance, nurturing over 20 supporting companies like Grand Machinery and Hongfeng Machinery, fostering a robust ecosystem for the compressor industry chain. In January, Zhejiang Dewei Stainless Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. signed an agreement to build a precision seamless tube project with an investment of CNY 120 million, adding 10,000 tons of production capacity. This will enhance Dewei's technical expertise and competitiveness in stainless steel deep processing, offering advanced material solutions for equipment manufacturing, automotive, and new energy sectors. Currently, the special steel industry, represented by Eastern Special Steel, Dewei, and Yada, has brought together nearly 40 related firms, guiding Nanhu's cluster toward smart, green, and integrated transformation. Dewei Stainless Steel's industrial welded pipe products rank among the top three in domestic market share.

From January to June, the combined output of Nanhu's three cornerstone industries—microelectronics, intelligent equipment, and high-end new materials—reached CNY 57.031 billion, marking a 23.8% year-on-year increase. High-tech industrial value added grew 10.3%, while core digital manufacturing saw a 20.3% rise. Concurrently, significant industrial projects are landing in Nanhu, building future potential for advanced manufacturing. Between January and July, 44 provincial-level projects with investments exceeding CNY 100 million or USD 10 million were recorded.

New Productive Forces and Forward-looking Future Industry Layout

At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference last month, Minth Group showcased embodied intelligent robot components that captured attention. This Nanhu-based auto parts manufacturer is already pivoting towards future industry tracks, focusing on the R&D and production of embodied robots, collaborating with entities like Zhejiang Tsinghua Flexible Electronics Institute and Zhiyuan Robotics to integrate these robots into factory production lines.

New quality productive forces are injecting fresh energy into Nanhu's advanced manufacturing sector. Capitalizing on its rich scientific and technological resources, Nanhu is strategically front-loading its entry into future industries, with a strong push on AI and the low-altitude economy. AI is a key industry cluster that Jiaxing is focusing on. Nanhu’s AI sector is thriving; leveraging platforms like the Tsinghua Flexible Electronics Institute, it has established the nation's first flexible electronics embodied intelligence data collection and training center. It has attracted AI firms such as Zhiyuan Robotics, Jiushi Intelligence, iFlytek, and Leiyao Optics, aiming to become the "Yangtze River Delta core components and complete machine manufacturing base" for AI. The district now hosts 40 AI enterprises above designated size, generating CNY 5.845 billion in revenue in H1, a 91.9% year-on-year surge, the highest growth rate in the city.

Future industries serve as the strategic vanguard for high-quality advanced manufacturing development. In July, Zhejiang Province released its fourth batch of future industry pilot zones, including Nanhu's Flexible Electronics Future Industry Pilot Zone. This achievement is the result of a decade of persistent effort. In 2016, Nanhu seized a major national S&T project opportunity, undertaking a national basic research project to introduce flexible electronics technology. In 2017, the Zhejiang Tsinghua Flexible Electronics Institute was established, becoming the sector's core anchor. Now, Nanhu's flexible electronics industry has formed a complete "materials-devices-end products" loop. An initial CNY 100 million special fund has been set up, creating a full-chain sci-tech innovation system that seamlessly connects innovation, transformation, and industrialization. This sector is developing convergently with integrated circuits, embodied intelligence, next-gen smart terminals, and medical electronics.

Pushing boundaries is solidifying the hardcore support for high-quality advanced manufacturing. Innovation directed at industry is vibrant, from tech platforms to enterprises. Nanhu is home to nine high-energy innovation platforms, including the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University and the Flexible Electronics Institute. Its R&D investment intensity has ranked in the province's top ten for 16 consecutive years and first in the city, providing an endless stream of innovative power for industrial advancement. In May, the High-tech Industrialization Base of the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University was inaugurated, acting as a core vehicle for the "base + fund" dual-drive model to bridge the gap between industry, academia, and research. Four companies, including Saisi Electronics, were selected as provincial-level enterprise technology centers, the most in the city. The district also added four national key "Little Giant" enterprises and eight key provincial-level specialized and sophisticated SMEs. Projects representing new quality productive forces are rapidly gathering, with firms like Yuanqing Power and Hanglingwei setting up operations in Nanhu this year.