Lightweight aluminum products being developed by manufacturer Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group Ltd – based in the county-level city Zouping, Binzhou in East China's Shandong province – are boosting the city's efforts to build a high-end aluminum sector.

Aluminum foam – jointly developed by Weiqiao Pioneering Group and Northeastern University in Shenyang, capital of China's Northeast Liaoning province – is said to be serving as the company's new quality product driver, helping to promote Binzhou's green transformation.

"This type of light aluminum features a density of 0.4 grams per cubic centimeter and is usually used in the automobile bumpers, transportation and decoration fields given its sound and energy absorption characteristics," said Cheng Jian, deputy general manager of the group's subsidiary Shandong Honghe Lightweight Technology Co Ltd.

Adding to the momentum, other high-end aluminum alloys are forming new industrial chains targeting automotive manufacturing, especially new energy vehicles, or NEVs.

"This all-aluminum body small logistics vehicle designed for Foton weighs only 156 kilograms, a reduction of about 40 percent compared with traditional steel bodies," said Li Shuguang, deputy general manager of Shandong Hong'ao Automobile Lightweight Technology Co Ltd.

"When installed on electric vehicle models, it effectively increases the endurance distance by three to five percent," Li added.

The entire industry supply chain, based on aluminum processing, also has an eco-friendly effect – with molten aluminum directly transformed into components without secondary melting that may give rise to energy consumption and pollution. This production approach has been described as the "unique Binzhou model".

An all-aluminum vehicle assembly line at manufacturer Shandong Hong'ao Automobile Lightweight Technology Co Ltd's plant. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

In recent years, Binzhou has strategically charted new paths for advancing its aluminum industry.

The support from Binzhou's highly developed aluminum sector is seen as being crucial to the transformative achievements in Weiqiao Pioneering Group's lightweight aluminum product base.

Looking ahead, the company's lightweight metal product range is set to develop automotive products that prioritize safety, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability with high-end aluminum.

The company aims to create a green ecosystem across the entire aluminum industry supply chain and become a leading provider of automotive lightweight solutions.

Light aluminum products from Weiqiao Pioneering Group go on show at its exhibition hall. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]