Nantong tops Chinese prefecture-level cities with 11 excellence-level smart factories

Nantong in East China's Jiangsu has achieved a significant milestone in advanced manufacturing, with 11 of its enterprises included in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's 2025 list of excellence-level smart factories.

This places Nantong first among all prefecture-level cities in China, accounting for 25 percent of Jiangsu's total entries and 4 percent of national entries.

AI-powered smart factory in Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Notable projects from Nantong include Jiangsu Dasheng Group's 100,000-spindle flexible spinning smart factory, Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology's AI-driven smart factory, and Zenith Steel Group (Nantong) Co's integrated process control smart factory. These projects span key sectors such as shipbuilding, marine engineering, and high-end textiles, highlighting the city's robust capabilities in technological innovation and industrial upgrading.

This achievement follows Nantong's establishment of a graded cultivation system to promote smart factory development. Through increased investment and deeper AI integration, the city has nurtured 607 basic-level, 137 advanced-level, and 13 excellence-level smart factories. Earlier this year, Nantong also unveiled a plan aiming to build 38 provincial or higher-level industrial internet platforms, over 30 new service providers, and more than 100 provincial or higher-level smart factories by 2027.