The new smart factory of ‌Nantong DIC Colorants Co‌ in the Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area (NETDA) was bustling with activity on April 25, as equipment installation and final infrastructure upgrades entered their critical phase.

Established in ‌June 2001‌ by Japan's DIC Corporation with an investment of ‌nearly $40 million‌, the company has grown into a global supplier of high-end printing inks and organic pigments in two decades, achieving an annual output value of ‌800 million yuan ($109.99 million) in 2024‌.

In ‌December 2023‌, the corporation launched‌ a comprehensive project involving the relocation and expansion of its smart factory, with an estimated investment of 700 million yuan.

In accordance with national policies supporting large-scale equipment upgrades, the project has received ‌40 million yuan in financial incentives‌ from NETDA, which has further improved the automation levels in its production workshops.