Workers pack pickled mud snails into jars at a plant operated by Nantong Beiyu Renhe Aquatic Co in Rudong county. [Photo/WeChat account: dream8086]

A new seafood processing plant – which will also be opened to the public – is currently being built by Nantong Beiyu Renhe Aquatic Co in Rudong county, Nantongand is expected to be completed in late October, according to local media reports.

Founded in 1999, Beiyu Renhe processes locally produced seafood and in recent years, the company has spent more than 2 million yuan ($289,800) each year in developing new products and upgrading old products.

To improve the company's competitiveness and boost its high-quality development, the company decided to take advantages of its industrial strength and rich natural resources in Rudong to develop a plant that will also be open for industrial tourism.

"Many industrial giants have opened their production plants to consumers, allowing them to learn the processes in person and raising their confidence about the products," said Gu Ming, deputy general manager of the company.

The new plant will cost about 100 million yuan to build and have five floors for fish, shellfish, shrimp, crab and aquatic algae, respectively.

According to Gu, the first and second floors are expected to start operating by the end of this year. 

"We have signed a cooperation agreement Shanghai Airlines to be a tourist destination on their travel routes. They will arrange for the first group of tourists to visit our new plant in spring next year," Gu added.