Chongqing - A major spandex producer in Chongqing, southwest China, has been named a “lighthouse factory” by the World Economic Forum (WEF), reflecting the growing use of digital technologies and greener production across China’s manufacturing sector.
Huafon Chemical Co., Ltd. was named to the latest WEF Lighthouse Network, a global group of factories considered benchmarks for advanced manufacturing. It received the designation of “production efficiency lighthouse,” becoming the first company in the global chemical fibre industry to earn the title.
Led by the WEF, the Lighthouse programme spotlights factories that deploy technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and automation to boost productivity while cutting costs and carbon emissions. The network now includes 224 factories across more than 30 countries and over 40 industries.
Huafon Chemical Co., Ltd. was named to the latest WEF Lighthouse Network. (Photo/Huafon Chemical Co., Ltd.)
China dominates global spandex production, accounting for more than 70 percent of total capacity. Spandex is widely used in stretch fabrics for everyday clothing and sportswear, as well as medical and industrial textiles.
However, the sector has long faced structural challenges, including excess low-end output, high energy consumption, and a shortage of high-performance products. Rising labour costs and tighter environmental regulations have further increased pressure on producers.
These challenges are pushing manufacturers to shift away from growth driven by sheer volume toward a model focused on efficiency, quality, and innovation, according to industry analysts. Huafon Chemical has been among the companies leading this transition.
In recent years, the firm has overhauled its production system by rolling out digital management platforms that integrate product design, manufacturing, quality control, and logistics. The company said the upgrades have shortened delivery times and improved operational stability.
Energy remains one of the largest cost factors in spandex manufacturing. To curb consumption, Huafon Chemical has advanced technologies to improve solvent recovery and capture waste heat during production.
To address long-standing solvent recovery challenges, the company invested in major technical upgrades and developed a multi-tower integrated recovery system. The technology has lifted solvent recovery rates to over 99 percent, achieved purity levels above 99.98 percent, and reduced wastewater discharge to well below national standards.
Huafon Chemical is now the world’s largest single-site spandex producer, with an annual capacity of 160,000 tonnes. The company has also developed a low-temperature waste-heat cascade recovery technology for its spinning process, improving energy recycling efficiency.
The innovation has positioned the company among a small group of global chemical fiber manufacturers able to combine high efficiency, flexible production and low carbon emissions. Its spandex is supplied to a range of international brands, and it has also helped draft several national industry standards in China.