Chongqing - Chongqing Customs District statistics show the city's foreign trade exports hit 235.88 billion yuan (approx. USD 33 billion) in the first half of 2024, a 2.8% increase from last year. Many local enterprises are seizing new growth opportunities.
Chongqing's foreign trade exports data in the first half of 2024. (Graphic/Zheng Ran)
A prime example is Chongqing Meixin Group, which exported nearly 50 million yuan worth of door products to the U.S. in the first half of 2024. The company's export sales have been growing steadily at an annual rate of 7%.
"This year, our louvered door products have made notable inroads in regions such as Texas and California," said Yiwen, vice president of the export business of Chongqing Meixin Group. "We have partnered with Clayton Construction Company, Inc., a leading U.S. building contractor, to promote 'Chongqing-made' doors in newly constructed homes across the United States."
American dealers were testing Meixin's exported louvered doors. (Photo/Chongqing Meixin Group)
Meixin's U.S. market strategy has two main channels: collaboration with local distributor DKS Company, generating 22 million yuan in exports in the first half of 2024, and a partnership with Clayton, which has achieved 26.5 million yuan in exports, focusing on new residential developments.
In addition to the U.S., Meixin Group is targeting emerging markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The company gained international attention at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by supplying over 1,200 fire doors for the 974 Stadium. Post-event, these doors were shipped in 974 containers for recycling and construction projects abroad.
In the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM), Meixin supplied over 10,000 doors for Laos's Boten Special Economic Zone and contributed to Cambodia's new international airport and the power grid expansion in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
At Chongqing Meixin Group's Nanan District factory on Baihe Road, 16 production lines produce over 20,000 doors daily, which are shipped across China and to more than 40 countries and regions worldwide.
The digital production line of Meixin Group. (Photo/Chongqing Meixin Group)
Xia Mian, president of Chongqing Meixin Group, highlighted their technological advancements, noting that their workshop uses an intelligent manufacturing execution system (MES) for flexible production and fewer errors. The logistics system, featuring a smart production line, integrates seamlessly with the warehouse, reducing delivery time from 35 days to as little as three days.
"Digitization requires ongoing investment and trial and error," Xia said. "We collaborate with institutions like Shandong University and have a dedicated team to advance our efforts. As industry leaders, we are committed to providing more experience through trial and error."
Meixin's international expansion started in 1996, focusing on the U.S. market. By 1998, the company had formed a joint venture with a U.S. firm, earning Underwriter Laboratories Inc., British BS, and European CE certifications for their security doors.
Founded in 1989, Meixin has become a major private enterprise with over 10,000 employees. It leads in window and door manufacturing and operates in automotive, real estate, commercial tourism, precision manufacturing, and international trade.