In the digital workshop of Luoshi (Shandong) Robot Group Co., Ltd. in Zoucheng, Jining, Shandong, robotic arms dance rhythmically, precisely grasping, flipping, and assembling components in a seamless flow. The low hum of motors and the clicks of precision parts being fitted together fill the air.
Here, robots building robots is a daily reality. "A full assembly of a single robot body takes just 37 minutes," said Product Manager Cui Xuliang, his eyes following the arm's motion. "It then undergoes 10 million cable bend tests with zero failures and 120 hours of rigorous inspection before heading to global markets." Today, 26 robot enterprises have gathered in Zoucheng, fostering three national-level specialized and new "Little Giant" enterprises, three provincial-level single-manufacturing champions, and two provincial-level "Gazelle" companies.
This has created a complete industrial ecosystem covering controllers, servo systems, body manufacturing, and system integration, making it Shandong's largest industrial robot production base. A decade ago, Zoucheng was a typical resource-based city, thriving on coal. The city's transformation from a "coal city" to a robot hub is underpinned by Jining's robust industrial system.
As one of Shandong's four key robot industry development centers, Jining possesses 38 of the 41 major industrial categories, with strong foundations in engineering machinery, energy, and chemicals. In recent years, Jining has initiated the Shandong Robot Industry Association, hosted major events like the Shandong Robot Conference and the 2026 "Robot+" Innovation and Development Conference, and built a "One Network, Five Centers" industrial support platform, aiming to establish a nationally influential robot industry base.
The demand is clear: mines need intelligent tunneling, power plants require automated inspections, chemical plants demand unmanned explosion-proof systems, and warehouses need robot handling. Anchor companies like Yankuang Energy Group, Zou County Power Plant, and Hengxin Group have solidified the industrial base in coal power, equipment manufacturing, and fine chemicals—natural application scenarios for robots.
Hundreds of meters underground, Shandong Tianhe Technology Co., Ltd.'s intelligent tunneling robot is at work. This integrated device for tunneling, support, dust removal, and drilling allows operators to control underground operations remotely from the surface. In 2025, its tunneling robot received provincial "First Set of Technical Equipment" certification, integrating digital twin technology for 3D visualization of tunnel formation.
Above ground, Shandong Jiekong Robot's strawberry-picking robot moves through smart greenhouses, blending AI with agronomy and linking 5G environmental monitoring with integrated water and fertilizer systems. In the skies, the low-altitude economy is active. In 2025, Kebite Aerospace Low-Altitude Economy Industrial Park settled in Zoucheng, producing 10,000 performance drones within a month, with "Made in Zoucheng" drones now reaching international markets.
Leveraging decades of expertise in mining machinery, rich in technical patents and skilled workers, Zoucheng strategically entered the robot industry in 2013, making smart manufacturing the focus of its transformation. Mining robots are the "new branches" growing from the "coal pile." At Tianhe Technology, a 100-ton intelligent tunneling robot is a standout. "A tunnel face used to require over a dozen people. Now, with remote ground control, just two or three people can handle it, cutting labor by 40% while doubling efficiency," said Project Manager Tian Jiageng.
In 2016, Luoshi Robot, having just started in Beijing's Zhongguancun, chose Zoucheng for its production base. By 2023, it moved its headquarters there. Around Luoshi, Zoucheng has precisely attracted upstream component suppliers like Suzhou Mingchi and Keben Electric, and downstream integrators like Tianda Hangkong, forming a "15-minute supply chain circle" with over 20 supporting enterprises.
Just a hundred meters from Luoshi Robot, workers in Shandong Tuojiang Electric Co., Ltd.'s workshop move among equipment. "About 80% of our products go directly to Luoshi. Our output is expected to exceed 10 million yuan this year, far exceeding expectations," said Business Manager Li Xin. From mines to workshops, and from ground to low altitude, Zoucheng's robot industry has formed a complete chain.
Zoucheng has built high-standard robot industrial parks like Jining Robot Industrial Park and Luoshi Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park, established 85 provincial-level innovation platforms and 10 university-enterprise joint labs. The Shandong Intelligent Robot Application Technology Research Institute integrates R&D, conversion, talent cultivation, and incubation, while the National Robot Inspection and Testing Public Service Platform's Jining branch provides local testing and certification services. These platforms have implemented 57 industrial transformation projects, undertaken 49 provincial-level or higher technology programs, and converted 205 research results locally.
The city has innovatively implemented reforms like "dual-chain parallel approval" and "park-level business handling," delegating 19 high-frequency government services. It has also formed a dedicated "e-road pet" service team for full lifecycle support. Currently, over 99% of enterprise-related services are handled online, and investment in the "four new" economy accounts for 56.7%.
Today, Zoucheng's robot industry has grown into a new economic growth engine for the county, with an average annual growth rate of over 20% in the past three years, strongly supporting the transformation from a resource-based city to a smart manufacturing powerhouse.