2024 Hangzhou/Jiaxing "Asia-Pacific Smart Manufacturing & Digital Supply Chain Benchmark Factory Tour"
I. Event Overview
Time: March 18 – 20, 2024 (3 Days)
Location: Zhejiang Province, China (Hangzhou → Jiaxing → Shanghai Direction)
Organizer: Asia-Pacific Industrial Manufacturing Association (APIMA)
Target Delegates: Manufacturing CIOs, Supply Chain Directors, Automation Engineers, and Technical Executives planning investments in China.
II. Event Background
In early 2024, "Smart Manufacturing" in China's industrial sector has shifted from isolated technological breakthroughs to full-chain "Data-Driven" operations. For manufacturing enterprises across the Asia-Pacific, the Yangtze River Delta region stands as a global pinnacle of smart manufacturing. Its applications in 5G Fully Connected Factories, Flexible Supply Chains (C2M), and Industrial Internet Platforms are world-leading.
While previous APIMA events primarily focused on policy and macro-strategy, this tour "goes to the floor." It aims to provide member enterprises with a visceral experience of "Lighthouse Factory" operations. Participants will learn how to deeply integrate automation equipment with ERP/MES systems to achieve "mass customization" and flexible delivery, providing a tangible blueprint for digital transformation initiatives in the second half of the year.
III. Core Itinerary
Day 1: Hangzhou — "Zero-Carbon Smart Manufacturing" in Home Appliances & Compressors
Morning: Arrive in Hangzhou. Transfer to Gree Electric (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd.
Afternoon: 【Benchmark Visit: 5G + Industrial Internet Factory】
Highlights: Tour a world-class home appliance smart factory, focusing on the fully automated flow of its "Five-Ring Logistics" (Raw Materials, Sorting, Production, Inspection, Finished Goods).
Key Focus: Achieving "Dark Factory" (lights-out) operations; seamless docking between AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and high-rise warehouses; 100% online inspection of core compressor components (e.g., motors, impellers) via Machine Vision, replacing manual sampling.
Exchange: Roundtable with the Factory's IT Director on how "Data Governance" supports scheduling to shorten order delivery cycles by 30%.
Day 2: Jiaxing — "Future Factory" in Process Industries & C2M Mode
Morning: Travel to Tongxiang, Jiaxing. Visit Tongkun Group Co., Ltd. (Hengchao Future Factory).
Afternoon: 【Benchmark Visit: First "Future Factory" in the Chemical Fiber Industry】
Highlights: As a global leader in polyester filament, Tongkun demonstrates the highest level of Process Manufacturing (Continuous Flow). Focus on the Smart Central Control Room monitoring the tension and temperature of tens of thousands of filaments in real-time.
Key Focus: Digital Twin applications—simulating production anomalies in a virtual model; and Unmanned Inspection (Robots + Infrared Thermal Imaging) in hazardous chemical scenarios.
Evening: Travel to Mars Group Co., Ltd. (Jiaxing). Inspect the C2M (Customer-to-Manufacturer) model. Witness how a non-standard customized integrated stove moves from APP order placement to automatic material sorting and flexible assembly, achieving a "7-day delivery" turnaround.
Day 3: Jiaxing/Shanghai — Core Components & Automation Infrastructure
Morning: Visit Hangzhou Steam Turbine Power Group Co., Ltd. (HTC).
Highlights: Intelligent transformation of Heavy Equipment (Discrete Manufacturing). Focus on the Paperless Workshop: work orders and drawings automatically pushed to terminals, quality data uploaded in real-time, and traceability down to the individual screw.
Afternoon: 【Closed-Door Debrief & Expert Coaching】
During the return trip to Shanghai/Hangzhou, APIMA digital experts will facilitate a debrief.
Theme: "From Observation to Execution: How SMEs Can Replicate Lighthouse Experience at Low Cost?" — Deconstructing the smart elements of large enterprises into lightweight, actionable solutions for SMEs (e.g., starting with equipment connectivity before advancing to APS).
IV. Tour Highlights
Comprehensive Coverage: Visits spanning four typical manufacturing modes: Consumer Goods (Home Appliances), Process Industries (Chemical Fiber), Heavy Equipment (Turbines), and Hardware (Kitchenware), allowing for holistic benchmarking.
"Data" over "Hardware": Beyond counting robots, the focus is on how data flows—tracking the end-to-end link from shop floor sensors to BI dashboards.
Green Manufacturing Perspective: Special attention is paid to each factory's Energy Management System (EMS) and how it monitors single-machine energy consumption to comply with upcoming carbon border adjustment mechanisms.
V. Registration & Contact
Quota Limit: 25 pax (Small, deep-dive delegation).
Fee Includes: Local transportation, meals, interpretation services, visit insurance, and one copy of the Field Report.
Registration Email: service@apima.asia
Registration Deadline: March 5, 2024