A factory in Rudong, Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

In the first half of 2024, the value of Rudong's foreign trade reached 27.96 billion yuan ($3.88 billion), a 1.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Exports alone, which increased every month for the past six months, amounted to 9.81 billion yuan, a significant 5.1 percent year-on-year growth.

Sany Palfinger Special Purpose Vehicle, based in the Rudong Economic Development Zone, is known for its comprehensive range of truck-mounted cranes and aerial work vehicles. It saw an impressive 153.4 percent increase in export revenue, totaling over 49 million yuan in the first half of the year.

Jiangsu Hanvo Safety reported export revenues exceeding 370 million yuan, up by 37.8 percent year-on-year. Hanvo has invested heavily in innovation, establishing its own research institute and collaborating with several universities, including Donghua University, Jiangnan University, and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. They now produce 18 million pairs of gloves annually, which are sold to over 60 countries and regions.

Xingi Tech, specializing in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, which are 15 times stronger than steel, has an annual production capacity of over 20,000 metric tons and a global market share of over 50 percent. In the first half of the year, the company launched eight new production lines at the Yangkou Port Economic Development Zone, which reached full capacity immediately.