Towards innovation and innovation-driven

In Jinkou Town, Jimo District, a private enterprise that has been established for only more than ten years has grown rapidly from an unknown small enterprise to a national-level specialized "little giant" with its persistent pursuit of technological innovation and keen insight into market demand. It has not only filled many technical gaps in the field of domestic special vehicles, but also broken the international monopoly with "Made in China" and became the global leader in the field of concrete pump trucks and aerial work vehicles - it is Qingdao Jiuhe Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd.

Breaking the monopoly, targeting the market segment and implementing a differentiated strategy

In 2011, Jiuhe Heavy Industry started with a startup team of 35 people. At that time, the domestic small pump truck field had long been monopolized by foreign brands, but the rural and urban construction market still had a large number of unmet needs due to the high price and lack of adaptability of foreign products. Jiuhe Heavy Industry seized the opportunity and concentrated resources on the research and development of small pump trucks. By optimizing the weight, size and cost-effectiveness of the body, it launched small pump trucks under 20 tons suitable for narrow roads, and quickly opened up the market. In just two years, its small pump truck sales ranked first in the country, with a market share of over 50%, breaking the monopoly of foreign brands in one fell swoop. After gaining a firm foothold in the niche field, Jiuhe Heavy Industry began to move towards high-end and large-scale development. From 21 meters to 70 meters, and then to the 80-meter pump truck that is about to be put into production, each breakthrough in boom height is accompanied by a geometric increase in technical difficulty. "One inch higher, one inch harder. Every iteration and upgrade of the product involves multiple challenges such as the boom system, hydraulic control, and chassis load." Yang Shifa, general manager of the company, introduced that taking the 70-meter pump truck as an example, it breaks through the 300-degree rotation limit of traditional products, eliminates the 30° to 40° construction blind spot, and pioneers the start-up function with gear to reduce idling energy consumption. This model not only became the longest pump truck that can be legally driven on the road in China, but was also selected into the "2021 Shandong Fine Equipment List". From "follower" to "leader", Jiuhe Heavy Industry completed its transformation in just ten years. Today, the company's product line covers hundreds of models in eight categories, including concrete pump trucks, ladder trucks, and aerial work trucks. It has more than 300 national patents, an annual output value of more than 800 million yuan, and a market footprint that has expanded to more than 60 countries and regions around the world.

Technological innovation is the key to solving the "bottleneck" problem

In the field of special vehicles, aerial work vehicles and ladder trucks have long relied on imports. Before 2020, all domestic aerial work vehicles above 28 meters need to be purchased overseas. Jiuhe Heavy Industry started the research and development project in 2019, and it took only three years to achieve the leap from technology introduction to independent innovation: in March 2022, the first 38-meter aerial work vehicle in China rolled off the assembly line; in April, the 45-meter model came out, breaking through the technical bottleneck of 360° unlimited rotation in a narrow space; currently, the 70-meter model has entered the research and development stage, and it is expected that the 95-meter model will break the world record next year. "Our aerial work vehicles not only replace imports, but also improve work efficiency with intelligent electronic control systems." Yang Shifa said.

The field of ladder trucks has also achieved remarkable results. Through independent research and development, Jiuhe Heavy Industry has broken through the technical barriers of Korean companies, achieved full coverage of 32 meters to 65 meters, and became the first company in China to master the core technology of ladder trucks. Its products have quickly occupied the domestic market with the advantages of strong stability and low failure rate, and have been exported to Southeast Asia, Europe and other places.

Supporting the technological breakthrough is Jiuhe Heavy Industry's continuous investment in research and development. The company spends 7% of its sales revenue on scientific and technological research every year, has established a research and development team of more than 80 people, and has built 2 domestic research and development centers and a 76,500 square meter smart manufacturing industrial park. Through innovations such as lightweight design, intelligent fault diagnosis, and early adaptation of the National VI emission standards, Jiuhe Heavy Industry not only leads the industry's technical standards, but also promotes the upgrade of China's special vehicles from "manufacturing" to "smart manufacturing".

Industry collaboration integrates into the "strong chain" blueprint of Qingdao Automobile City

As an important part of Qingdao's automobile industry, the development of Jiuhe Heavy Industry resonates with the local strategy. Relying on complete vehicle projects such as FAW Jiefang and Chery, and gathering more than 400 industrial chain companies, Jimo's automobile industry has gradually drawn up a blueprint for extending, supplementing and strengthening the chain. The completion of Jiuhe Heavy Industry Machinery Industrial Park has drawn a key stroke for this blueprint. The park invested 680 million yuan to integrate the original two factories, introduce automated welding robots, intelligent assembly lines and other equipment, increase production capacity by 30%, and reduce costs by 15%. In the future, the park will focus on mass production of high-end products such as 80-meter pump trucks and 75-meter aerial work vehicles, helping Qingdao's special vehicle industry move towards the high end of the global value chain.

"The government's 'strengthening chain' project provides huge opportunities for enterprises." Yang Shifa said that Jimo District has injected momentum into the company's technological breakthroughs and capacity expansion through policy support, industrial chain investment promotion, and infrastructure support. In 2025, Jiuhe Heavy Industry plans to add 50 new patents, increase the proportion of R&D investment to 8%, and accelerate the layout of overseas markets to promote "Made in China" special vehicles to the world.

"China's special vehicle industry is ushering in a golden period. Jiuhe Heavy Industry must become a setter of technical standards, not a follower." Yang Shifa is full of confidence. Starting from Jimo, this "little giant" is using innovation as a wing to write a new chapter in China's high-end equipment manufacturing on the global stage.

About Us： JIUHE specializes in researching, manufacturing, selling, and after-sale construction machinery, main products: are trailer concrete pumps, concrete line pumps, concrete pump trucks, concrete placing booms, wet shotcrete machines, ladder lift trucks, Aerial lift trucks, so on. Contacts: [email protected], +86-18765912751