The World Economic Forum (WEF) presented its new selection of global “Lighthouse Factories”, an recognition obtained by Qingdao CIMC Reefer Container Manufacture. With this milestone, the plant becomes the only one in the CIMC Group and the first in the global container industry to receive such a distinction.
According to company executives, this milestone in smart manufacturing demonstrates CIMC’s commitment to meeting the needs of global trade and daily life with highly efficient and reliable cold chain equipment.
The “Lighthouse Factories” network, jointly promoted by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company, is widely recognized as the benchmark in digital transformation and smart manufacturing modernization.
Its objective is to identify advanced manufacturers that are pioneers in the large-scale deployment of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, generating significant economic benefits and operational transformations. To date, only 238 of these factories exist worldwide.
Kiva Allgood, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, noted that the latest generation of “Lighthouse Factories” demonstrates how intelligence can be deeply integrated into every aspect of operations. This integration, she explained, allows companies to respond more quickly, engage in continuous learning, and achieve superior performance levels across the entire value chain.
In her mention of Qingdao Reefer Container, Allgood stated that “the growing volatility of global trade, together with the increasing demand for thermal insulation and product durability, has challenged traditional manufacturing paradigms of refrigerated containers in global cold chain logistics. By implementing more than 50 digital applications and solutions based on artificial intelligence to optimize resource allocation and production workflows, the plant has shortened its manufacturing cycle by 32% and reduced its defect rate by 47%.”
These metrics are underpinned by a fundamental improvement in the manufacturing ecosystem of Qingdao Reefer Container, a shift from an experience-based approach to a data-based one, and a transition from optimizing individual machines to whole-system synergy. This evolution has made the production of refrigerated containers more efficient and consistent, ensuring that fresh products, pharmaceuticals, and essential supplies reach their destination with greater safety and reliability.
This latest recognition reflects CIMC’s continuous drive to execute its technological innovation strategy.
Pan Jinjie, CIO del Grupo CIMC, aseguró que en los últimos años, el conglomerado se ha centrado en construir un “CIMC digital e inteligente” mediante la implementación de tecnologías digitales, equipos inteligentes, internet industrial, inteligencia artificial y fabricación sostenible en una gama cada vez mayor de escenarios.
El ejecutivo hizo hincapié en que CIMC ha cultivado de forma constante una cartera de productos líderes a nivel mundial, que requieren inherentemente el respaldo de líneas de producción avanzadas para salvaguardar su posición de liderazgo.
Actualmente, CIMC ha establecido una “Fábrica Nacional de Demostración de Fabricación Inteligente”, dos “Fábricas Inteligentes de Nivel de Excelencia Nacional” y ocho “Fábricas Nacionales 5G”. Las capacidades de fabricación avanzada están emergiendo rápidamente como un nuevo motor de crecimiento para el Grupo.
Obtener la distinción de “Fábricas Lighthouse”, añadió Pan Jinjie, impulsará aún más a CIMC a ampliar su experiencia en fabricación digital e inteligente a otros segmentos de negocio, elevando continuamente su capacidad de fabricación avanzada en toda la corporación.
Nian Junlai, vicepresidente de CIMC Container Group y director general de Qingdao Reefer Container, afirmó que la planta aprovechará su nuevo estatus como “Fábrica Lighthouse” global como plataforma de lanzamiento. Al acelerar la aplicación de la IA, la fabricación inteligente y las tecnologías de automatización, la empresa busca aprovechar el potencial del modelo para impulsar la fabricación mundial de contenedores a nuevas cotas.
