Technology

From hair dryers to global shipping routes: A quick look at Ningbo’s manufacturing network

Published

2 months ago

May 26, 2026

BEIJING, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from Global Times:

In a small appliance factory in Cixi, Ningbo, East China’s Zhejiang Province, rows of hair dryers roll off assembly lines before being loaded onto container trucks bound for Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

Within hours, these newly made products will depart from the world’s busiest cargo port aboard vessels headed for Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia – part of the vast flow of Chinese-made goods linking Ningbo’s factories with global markets.

Standing on the observation deck overlooking the Chuanshan Port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the Global Times reporter watched towering cranes loom through the mist like a forest of steel as container trucks moved constantly across the sprawling docks. In the distance, giant cargo vessels waited at deep-water berths for loading and unloading, while rows of multicolored containers stretched almost beyond sight – a glimpse into the vast scale of the world’s busiest cargo port.

As the world’s busiest cargo port by throughput for several consecutive years, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has evolved from a gateway for China’s foreign trade into a critical hub linking global supply chains. Its Chuanshan Port area, one of the port’s core container terminals, operates 11 deep-water berths capable of accommodating 200,000-ton container vessels around the clock. In 2025, container throughput at the terminal surpassed 12 million TEUs for the first time, supported by more than 50 international shipping routes connecting markets across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Belt and Road countries and regions.

“Many local manufacturers rely on the port to reach global markets, while the port’s growth is also supported by the region’s strong industrial base,” Zhou Chenfeng, director of Ningbo Beilun Third Container Terminal Co, told the Global Times.

The drive from Chuanshan Port area to Cixi takes only about an hour, but in Ningbo, the link between the port and the region’s manufacturing base feels even closer than that distance suggests.

Cixi is one of China’s leading hubs for small household appliances. More than 2,000 appliance makers and thousands of suppliers are clustered here, forming a dense industrial network where many products can move from factory floor to export dock within just a few dozen kilometers.

Yueli Group is one of the region’s leading manufacturers of hair care appliances. Starting out as an OEM manufacturer for overseas brands, the company has gradually expanded into product design and its own consumer brands. In 2025, Yueli produced 35 million small appliances, including 12 million hair dryers, making it one of the world’s largest hair dryer makers.

Jamie Li, marketing director of Yueli Group, told the Global Times that the company has continued investing in research and development as China’s manufacturing sector moves up the value chain, launching more than 40 new products each year, including smart hair dryers equipped with sensor-based and AI-powered features.

He said Yueli is gradually shifting from an export-driven model toward growth supported by both domestic sales and overseas markets through its own brand development. Brands under the company, including ShowSee, are gaining popularity in China while expanding into Southeast Asian markets.

At the same time, Yueli is advancing greener production through greater use of solar power, recyclable materials and energy-saving technologies.

For years, many Chinese manufacturers produced goods for overseas brands without selling under their own names. Now, more Ningbo companies are building their own global brands.

Starting with its first self-developed curved range hood in 1996, Fotile began building its own core technologies through independent R&D. “Today, Fotile products have entered major US retail chains including Lowe’s, while continuing to expand in markets including Malaysia and Indonesia,” a Fotile representative told the Global Times, adding that the company has also won multiple awards at the KBIS kitchen and bath exhibition in the US.

As manufacturing becomes smarter and more technology-driven, the port itself is also evolving. “Many operational decisions that once relied largely on experience are now made through data analysis and intelligent scheduling,” Zhou told the Global Times.

The Chuanshan Port area is now fully covered by 5G networks, with some bridge cranes and gantry cranes already being operated remotely, he said, adding that the port’s smart upgrades are helping improve loading efficiency and shorten vessel turnaround times.

Despite shifts in the global shipping landscape, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has maintained steady operations. “In recent years, we’ve continued expanding and diversifying our international shipping routes to better withstand external uncertainties, while using technological upgrades to improve both efficiency and service quality,” Zhou said.

Even after dusk, operations at the Chuanshan Port area continue around the clock, with cranes and container trucks operating day and night, a crane operator at the port told the Global Times.

More than 1,000 years ago, silk and porcelain departed from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Today, hair dryers from Cixi, smart kitchen appliances in Ningbo and more products produced by China’s advanced manufacturing sector are leaving the port along new global shipping routes bound for overseas markets.

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SOURCE Global Times

Technology

Highstar Launches Full-Chain Battery Cell Portfolio for AI Data Centers

Published

52 minutes ago

July 27, 2026

NANTONG, China, July 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Highstar unveiled its full-chain battery cell solution for artificial intelligence data centers (AIDCs) at the 2026 GGII Energy Storage Industry Summit. The portfolio spans three critical power layers: grey-space UPS and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, white-space battery backup units (BBUs), and grid-side energy storage.

Targeted cells for grey-space and white-space challenges

As AI workloads increase rack density and load volatility, data centers require faster response, dependable backup, controlled temperature rise and stronger lifecycle performance. Highstar’s solution centers on two products for the layers closest to computing loads.

For grey space, the 85Ah high-rate lithium iron phosphate cell is designed for UPS and HVDC systems that must deliver high power rapidly and sustain reliable backup under frequent pulse conditions. High-rate discharge, thermal control, safety and durability support compact system design while helping operators balance availability with lifecycle cost. In addition, the 50Ah sodium-ion battery cells are better suited for operation across a wide temperature range of -40°C to 80°C.

For white-space BBUs, Highstar offers a portfolio of tabless cylindrical cells spanning 18650 and 21700 formats, with both LFP and high-nickel NMC chemistries. Designed for BBU applications, these cells deliver high instantaneous power, low internal resistance, reduced temperature rise and enhanced safety, while accommodating different rack-space, power and cost requirements.

Completing the chain with grid-side storage

The grid-side system uses 314Ah lithium-ion cells and 160Ah sodium-ion cells, balancing long-duration energy storage, cycle life, and rapid power support. Together, the three layers create a coordinated portfolio extending from rack-level protection and system-level backup to upstream energy storage.

The portfolio combines lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries with prismatic and cylindrical platforms. Highstar’s technology integrates cathode, anode, electrolyte and separator development with structural approaches including tabless current collection, precision pressure relief and directional venting.

From individual cells to application collaboration

The full-chain architecture is designed to reduce selection and integration complexity for power equipment suppliers, system integrators and data center operators. It also provides a common foundation for joint validation and application-specific development across AIDC power architectures.

During the summit, Highstar also participated in the launch of the “2026 Global AIDC Power Supply Industry Development Blue Book” and was honored as a “Top Benchmark in AIDC Energy Storage,” earning authoritative recognition from the industry.

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SOURCE Jiangsu Highstar Battery Manufacturing Co.,Ltd.

Technology

Huawei Unveils Upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network for Southern Africa

Published

52 minutes ago

July 27, 2026

JOHANNESBURG, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the Huawei Network Summit 2026 held in Johannesburg, Huawei unveiled its upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution for the Southern African region under the new philosophy of “Secure and Intelligent Connectivity.” This move reaffirms Huawei’s efforts to advance all intelligence across industries together with customers and partners.

With the rapid rise of AI agents, AI is expanding beyond daily office tasks into mission-critical production services. Industry focus has recently pivoted from token consumption to Daily Active Agents (DAA)—signaling the arrival of mass agent adoption, which in turn necessitates fully upgraded next-generation networks.

Leon Wang, President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, said, “As AI moves into core production, networks are shifting from ubiquitous ultra-broadband to AI-centric architecture building on four pillars: lossless compute to unleash computing power; integrated sensing and communications to enable AI perception; full-scope security to address AI-driven threats; and network autonomy to ensure always-on services.”

Powered by a next-generation intelligent network foundation, Southern Africa’s digital and intelligent transformation is embarking on an all-new path.

“Today, AI is becoming a key driver of global innovation, and its adoption in Africa is transitioning from pilot exploration to real-world deployment, accelerating intelligent transformation across sectors such as finance, education, and public services,” said Vincent Chen, Vice President of Enterprise Business, Southern Africa Region, Huawei. “For the Southern African market, Huawei’s goal is to advance all intelligence across industries by collaborating with industry partners to build intelligent, secure, and reliable network infrastructure for the AI era.”

With the explosive growth of AI agents, new scenarios and requirements are emerging rapidly, placing unprecedented technical demands on networks.

“Network infrastructure faces four major challenges on enterprises’ digital and intelligent journeys. These include the ever-widening gap between computing supply and demand; traffic pattern shifts driven by AI agents; surging O&M complexity; and new AI-driven attacks compounding the vulnerabilities of new systems,” said Arthur Wang, Vice President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line. “To address these challenges, Huawei has upgraded its Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution under the ‘Secure and Intelligent Connectivity’ philosophy. The first is an intelligence upgrade, expanding AI beyond O&M into the entire network. The second is a security upgrade, advancing from single-point defense to end-to-end protection that deeply converges network and security. Through these two key upgrades, we aspire to build the solid connectivity foundation for every enterprise in the Agentic AI era.”

Huawei also unveiled its upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network product portfolio and the Xinghe AI CloudCampus SaaS Service Platform for the Southern African region. Shi Lei, Vice President of the NCE Data Communication Domain of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, stated, “In the past, intelligent O&M was a luxury exclusive to large enterprises. Now, we have deeply integrated AI into the cloud management service platform, enabling SMEs to easily access these capabilities as a cloud service. This is more than tech inclusion; it is about making AI network services genuinely accessible, affordable, and actionable.”

Also at the summit, Huawei presented honorary awards to 12 long-term customers for their remarkable shared journey in the data communication domain. Furthermore, industry pioneers across finance, healthcare, transportation, electric power, and ISP shared real-world success stories in accelerating digital transformation.

Looking ahead, Huawei will remain committed to its “AI for All, All on Secure IP” vision, continuously upgrading its Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution under the “Secure and Intelligent Connectivity” philosophy to stride into the intelligent era with customers and partners.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-unveils-upgraded-xinghe-intelligent-network-for-southern-africa-302834898.html

Technology

AnX Robotica Launches NaviCONNECT™: Connecting the Future of Capsule Endoscopy

Published

52 minutes ago

July 27, 2026

PLANO, Texas, July 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AnX Robotica, a leader in advanced gastrointestinal diagnostic solutions, today announced the commercial launch of NaviCONNECT™, its next-generation cloud platform designed to streamline capsule endoscopy workflow, simplify practice management, and enhance connectivity across the NaviCam® portfolio of products.

NaviCONNECT provides healthcare providers with secure, cloud-based access to capsule studies and reporting, enabling clinicians to access studies from virtually anywhere. Designed to support the evolving needs of GI practices and health systems, NaviCONNECT delivers a modern, scalable platform that enhances operational efficiency, simplifies software updates, and provides the foundation for future innovations in artificial intelligence and enterprise connectivity.

“NaviCONNECT represents a significant milestone in our vision of delivering a fully connected capsule endoscopy ecosystem,” said Stu Wildhorn, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at AnX Robotica. “By moving to a secure cloud-based platform, we are providing our customers the option of a simpler, more efficient way to manage capsule studies today while creating the infrastructure to support future AI capabilities, enterprise analytics, and expanded clinical workflow solutions.”

NaviCONNECT seamlessly integrates with the AnX Robotica NaviCam Small Bowel portfolio, including NaviCam SB with ProScan™ and NaviCam XS and is designed for future capsule technologies.

The launch of NaviCONNECT reinforces AnX Robotica’s commitment to advancing capsule endoscopy through innovative technologies that improve workflow, expand clinical capabilities, and enhance the experience for both providers and patients. As the foundation for the company’s digital strategy, NaviCONNECT will continue to evolve with new capabilities designed to support enterprise customers, AI-driven clinical insights, and the future of gastrointestinal diagnostics.

For more information about NaviCONNECT and the complete portfolio of AnX Robotica diagnostic technologies, visit www.anxrobotica.com.

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SOURCE AnX Robotica