|

Customs officers inspect a shipment of exported baseballs at the China Textile City in Keqiao, Shaoxing, on July 19. [Photo/Tide News]

The Paris Olympics have sparked a surge in Shaoxing's sports goods exports.

According to Shaoxing Customs, in the first half of this year, Shaoxing exported 770 million yuan ($107.68 million) worth of sports goods, marking a 33.9 percent year-on-year increase.

Feifeng Sports, which specializes in badminton and racket strings, saw a 20 percent increase in orders in the first half of this Olympic year. The company has strong partnerships with brands like Mizuno and Victor, exporting mainly to South Korea, Japan, Canada, and Malaysia.

Taiyas Sports, a manufacturer of baseball and softball equipment, exports over 90 percent of its products to the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Their products are used in 28 of the 36 MLB stadiums.

Since the beginning of the year, Taiyas' production lines have been running at full capacity. "Our export volume grew by 11 percent in the first half of the year, and we are fully booked through September," said Zhang Yan, a staff member at Taiyas Sports.

"To handle the increase in sports goods exports, we have optimized customs services and promoted the convenience of self-printing certificates of origin," said Wu Genwen, an authority at Shaoxing Customs. "This broadens the reach of the 'Olympic Economy'."