NANCHANG — Tucked in the mountains in East China's Jiangxi province, Shangyou county — a remote enclave of 317,700 people with minimal mineral resources, no railway access, and quite a distance from major markets — has defied expectations by forging a multibillion-yuan fiberglass empire from virtually nothing.

Having started 35 years ago with one of China's first fiberglass factories powered by local hydropower, Shangyou now hosts 195 fiberglass firms. Their combined sales topped 15 billion yuan ($2.09 billion) last year.

At Yuan Yuan New Materials Co Ltd, minerals like quartz sand and limestone melt at 1,600 C, forming strands one-fifth the width of a human hair.

"When blended with other materials, fiberglass fabric replaces steel at a quarter of the weight but with equal strength," said company chairman Zhang Quanlei. It extends lifespans in products such as underground pipes, appliance casings and car bodies.

Zhang is one of the earliest pioneers to lead in this industry. As a former fiberglass salesman, he raised over 900 million yuan in 2016 to build a pool furnace production line — featuring equipment typically only affordable to foreign firms or State-owned enterprises.

With government industrial funds and a dedicated natural gas pipeline secured through policy support, this furnace was launched in 2018, ending Shangyou's reliance on outside fiberglass yarn.

"Shipping yarn from elsewhere costs 400 to 500 yuan per metric ton. Now, that's our profit," said Min Xinhong, who returned home to start a cable materials factory, drawn by the county's mature supply chain.

Over 40 downstream manufacturers have arrived since 2018, forming specialized chains in safety gear, electronics and construction materials. Today, one in five local workers is employed in the fiberglass sector.

Shangyou's fiberglass sector, notably, has formed one of China's few complete industrial chains — transforming raw stone into advanced composites used in pipes, circuit boards and fire-retardant blankets.

From January to April 2025, the county's value-added industrial output of enterprises above designated size rose by 12.7 percent year-on-year, with industrial investment climbing 31 percent. Also, more than 100 local firms are upgrading or expanding.

Shangyou, meanwhile, has made its mark in the field of worker and consumer protection. Locally produced fiberglass-reinforced electric bike helmets account for a quarter of the domestic market. The county supplies over 40 percent of China's cable insulation and anti-corrosion auxiliary materials, while its fire-retardant blankets and related fire safety products have won 30 percent of the national market.

"The fiberglass industry has an extensive and highly integrated supply chain. It's rare to find a county like Shangyou with such a complete industrial ecosystem," said Liu Changlei, secretary-general of the China Fiberglass Industry Association.

To attract talent and creative ideas, Shangyou partners with 26 universities and institutes like Wuhan University of Technology in Hubei province. Firms get government incentives for hiring top graduates and benefit from business-friendly policies.

Amid global headwinds, Shangyou is exploring new markets. Safety gear producer Billionsports Technology now makes fiberglass pickleball paddles, and sold 100,000 sets last year while leading national paddle standards.

In addition, a "shared smart manufacturing" pilot project will pool automated equipment for smaller firms. "Shared workshops let us focus on product development," said Wang Bowen with Habita High-Temperature Textiles (Jiangxi) Co Ltd.

With several new projects underway, including a 150,000-ton plant and endeavors focused on recyclable thermoplastic materials, Shangyou's mountain-forged fibers keep securing success.

Xinhua