Smart logistics company Weitianyuntong is located in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

The number of little giant companies in the Hefei National High-tech Development Zone in Hefei, East China's Anhui province, has risen to 19 following the approval of 12 new entrants, local media outlet reported.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently unveiled the third batch of little giant companies in China. The list includes 42 Hefei-based companies, 12 of which are located in the Hefei high-tech zone.

According to the ministry, little giant companies refer to leading SMEs that specialize in niche sectors, command a high market share, and boast strong innovative capacity and core technologies. Such companies are poised to become industry leaders in bottleneck sectors in the future.

Weitianyuntong, one of the 12 new entrants, has been developing smart logistics solutions, especially those related to trunk highway transport, for about two decades.

Its online platform, which currently has over 70,000 enterprise users and over 4 million individual members, records more than 3 billion yuan ($463.8 million) in monthly transactions and over 30 billion yuan in annual transactions.

Wayeal, which also made the list, is a global supplier of analytical instruments. The company has more than 220 R&D personnel and has developed 43 invention patents. Wayeal is also a member of the committee that sets national industrial standards.

Hefei-based Wayeal operates in line with international standards. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]