With the deepening implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, Central Asian mines are rapidly becoming an international stage for China’s high-end intelligent equipment to shine. Deep within the vast open-pit copper mines of Kazakhstan, a group of massive ore-carrying trucks move orderly between the mine pit and the stockpile under precise commands, while the driver’s cab remains empty. This is a real-world scene of the remote-controlled and unmanned driving equipment independently developed by Zhonghong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhonghong Heavy Machinery”) in operation.
Zhonghong Heavy Machinery is a core enterprise that has gone global from Qingdao. It is using innovation as its engine to drive its “intelligent equipment” to speed into the new blue ocean of global “smart mine” construction. In the Laixi Economic Development Zone, the winter chill is deepening, but the production workshop of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery is bustling with activity.
</ … CNC machine tools operate with precision, and workers in work clothes bustle between production lines as underground mining trucks, soon to be shipped to Central Asia, undergo final adjustments. "This order is an additional order from a Kazakhstani customer. In 2025, our exports to the Central Asian market exceeded 50 million yuan, 2.5 times that of 2024, and orders are still increasing," said Wang Yijie, Deputy General Manager of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery. Despite the pressure on global trade, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has achieved remarkable growth against the trend. Chairman Ning Xiaofeng's entrepreneurial journey is like a condensed history of China's equipment industry's transformation. In the 1990s, the notion that "Chinese people can't build high-end mining equipment, and 60% of the profits are earned by foreigners" stung the hearts of industry professionals. At that time, China's mining industry was developing rapidly, but very few companies could independently develop and produce high-end mining equipment. The high price of imported trackless mining equipment and the lagging supply of spare parts made "affordable to buy but unaffordable to use" a major pain point for many mining companies. In 1991, Ning Xiaofeng resolutely resigned from his secure job and, together with his wife Ma Chunyan, founded a trading company, embarking on a challenging entrepreneurial journey by establishing an international supply chain for equipment parts. In 2008, Ning Xiaofeng led the company into the manufacturing sector, focusing on the independent research and development of trackless mining equipment. In 2013, the first loader embodying independent intellectual property rights successfully rolled off the production line and was exported overseas, selling well in the international market thanks to its excellent cost-performance ratio. Subsequently, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery refused acquisition offers from multinational giants, adhering to its own brand and continuously increasing investment in core technology research and development. In 2018, the 14-ton cable loader was successfully launched, propelling China into the ranks of the very few countries in the world capable of producing large-scale trackless mining equipment. In 2019, investment from Luxin Capital injected strong momentum into Zhonghong Heavy Machinery's overseas business expansion. Today, nearly 40% of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery's revenue comes from the international market, demonstrating the company's competitiveness in the global market. Zhonghong Heavy Machinery's market competitiveness stems from its almost obsessive pursuit of core technologies. In 2019, the company's independently developed remote/automated unmanned driving system achieved a breakthrough application: "one driver can simultaneously and precisely control 1 to 3 pieces of equipment remotely," revolutionizing traditional mining operations. In 2020, a system platform developed in collaboration with top domestic universities provided a solid technological foundation for mine development. These breakthroughs in core technologies have transformed Zhonghong Heavy Machinery from an equipment provider into an enabler of comprehensive smart mine solutions. Currently, the wave of smart mine construction is sweeping the globe. Zhonghong Heavy Machinery's unmanned driving equipment, remote control systems, and intelligent management platforms are powerful tools for solving the pain points of the mining industry. Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing mining demand in Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery, with its innovative products and smart solutions, has become a key partner for mining companies. The demand from emerging markets such as South America has provided a broader stage for its global expansion. Since 2019, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has further improved its global layout and enhanced its localized service capabilities. By establishing overseas subsidiaries, it can respond to market demands more quickly, conduct customized product development, and collect market information to provide direction for technological innovation. Today, its overseas service network covers major market regions. Looking to the future, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery is focusing on intelligent mining and new energy equipment. The company plans to become a dual leader in the intelligent mining field in both the Chinese and international markets within the next five years, striving to form a competitive advantage with international influence in niche markets and key markets. From parts trading to independent R&D and manufacturing, from breaking foreign monopolies to leading industry development, from the domestic market to a global layout, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has completed a magnificent transformation in thirty years and is now driving "intelligent equipment" to accelerate into the new blue ocean of "smart mines." Ning Xiaofeng, Chairman of Zhonghong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., stated, “Innovation and creation have fostered new types of productivity and enriched our lives. For over 30 years, Zhonghong Heavy Machinery has overcome numerous challenges, but has always adhered to innovation. Facing difficulties means charging forward, relying on innovation to propel us forward. The more difficult the innovation, the more valuable it is. In the new year, we will repay society and the country with even better performance, and we hope that governments at all levels can provide more assistance to the company, helping it to reach even greater heights.”
