From volume to value: Yantai's top manufacturers chart new course

As China enters its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Yantai in East China's Shandong province is shifting from output-driven growth to quality-led development — and two flagship manufacturers, Nanshan Group and Jereh, are charting distinct paths forward.

Nanshan, traditionally strong in aluminum and textiles, is pursuing both global expansion and technological ascent. It is building an electrolytic aluminum project in Indonesia to strengthen its resource-to-processing chain, while advancing high-tech electronics and high-end chemical materials at home.

Jereh, an oil and gas equipment maker, has broken into the AI infrastructure space. Between last November and this February it secured five gas turbine generator orders from North American clients — totaling roughly $500 million — to power AI data centers. The move builds on years of turbine technology development and positions the company as a key player in the AI-driven energy market.

Together, these two industry leaders exemplify how Yantai's manufacturing sector is evolving — by going global, climbing the value chain, and seizing opportunities in emerging industries.