The material handling industry is a vital component of the manufacturing sector, providing engineering design services and core equipment for material handling systems to downstream industries.

In recent years, the government has successively introduced policies such as the "Plan for Standardization and Quality Improvement in the Equipment Manufacturing Industry" and the "Development Plan for the High-End Equipment Manufacturing Industry," creating new opportunities for the industry’s growth.

At the same time, the sustained development of the national economy has spurred the growth of China’s engineering design services sector, while domestic fixed-asset investment has maintained a high growth rate. These factors are conducive to enhancing the technical standards and manufacturing capabilities of the material handling industry. Companies with product advantages, technological expertise, and distinctive business models will continue to grow and expand.

In 2017, with the strong support of GuChuan LianXing, Mitchell Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd.—a wholly-owned Singaporean enterprise—established itself in the Gaochun Economic Development Zone of Nanjing to invest in and build a production base for material handling equipment. The project has now been in operation for several years.

Leveraging the Gaochun Economic Development Zone’s proactive efforts to attract upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain, the Mitchell Group has charted a path toward sustainable development in China’s material handling industry.

Post-Pandemic Global Demand Recovery

Material Handling Equipment Exports Continue to Exceed Expectations

Since 2021, overseas exports from China’s material handling industry have consistently exceeded expectations. Material handling equipment produced by the Mitchell Group, including chain conveyors and bucket elevators, is exported to more than 50 countries and regions worldwide, including the Philippines, France, Egypt, and Brazil.

A convergence of factors has driven this export surge:

On the one hand, the global material handling industry features a long supply chain. While the pandemic disrupted normal supply chains, China’s supply chain remains relatively complete, and its overseas marketing and service systems are increasingly sophisticated;

On the other hand, driven by economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, international demand for material handling equipment has been growing steadily. Coupled with rising prices of commodities such as steel and coal, this has further stimulated downstream industries’ demand for diverse, high-quality, and highly reliable material handling equipment.

Leveraging Manufacturing Industry Clusters

Mitchell Settles in Gaochun with a "Comprehensive Strategy"

Founded in Canada in 1978 and entering China in 1994, the Mitchell Group is a conglomerate specializing in the R&D and production of material handling and warehousing equipment.

In 2017, amid fluctuations in raw material costs and increasingly stringent requirements for material handling equipment from downstream industries, Mitchell Group sought to relocate to an industrial park better suited to its development, aiming to enhance competitiveness by leveraging regional industrial agglomeration effects.

Guichuan United quickly assembled a professional localized service team to thoroughly assess Mitchell Group’s site requirements. The team conducted in-depth research on key indicators—including industrial environments, preferential policies, available sites, and labor costs—across multiple manufacturing clusters nationwide, ultimately identifying feasible options that closely aligned with the company’s needs.

Through the persistent efforts of investment promotion staff in conducting site visits and extending invitations, GuChuan United facilitated precise matchmaking between government and enterprise, provided full-process accompaniment during site inspections, and ultimately facilitated the establishment of Mitchell’s material handling equipment manufacturing project in the Gaochun Economic Development Zone.

The Gaochun Economic Development Zone’s commitment to fostering the clustered development of signature industries was a key factor in Mitchell Group’s decision to establish operations there.

Furthermore, aligned with its positioning as the “Eastern Industrial New City,” the Gaochun Economic Development Zone has continuously enhanced urban functions to create a new urban area that is livable and conducive to business, featuring comprehensive functions, well-equipped facilities, and complete supporting infrastructure—further solidifying the company’s confidence in establishing operations there.

Driving Industrial Transformation Through Strategic Initiatives

Kawagawa & Co. Vigorously Promotes Mutual Benefits for Government and Enterprises

The Mitchell Group continues to advance an export-led development strategy. However, expanding into international markets cannot rely solely on individual corporate efforts; the deep integration of supply chains, industrial chains, and value chains is even more critical.

Manufacturing has long been the dominant industry in the Gaochun Economic Development Zone. Among the projects previously introduced to the zone, many were traditional manufacturing projects at the lower end of the value chain. In recent years, the Gaochun Economic Development Zone has been striving to transform its manufacturing sector from mechanical manufacturing to high-end equipment manufacturing, making every effort to increase the technological content and added value of its products.

The Mitchell Material Handling Equipment Production Project is a prime example of Gaochun Economic Development Zone’s transition from “manufacturing” to “smart manufacturing.” Since the project’s establishment, Mitchell Group has achieved leapfrog development by leveraging the local manufacturing cluster, while also driving the growth of the local high-end equipment manufacturing sector and generating significant spillover effects.

Moving forward, Guchuan Lianxing will maintain its professional and efficient service standards, continue to gain a deep understanding of the multi-level needs of both the government and enterprises, and leverage its 12 years of practical experience in the investment promotion industry and a database of over 490,000 project resources to provide a steady source of momentum for the sustainable development of the regional economy.