Light Industry 

There are 13,360 large-scale enterprises of the light industry in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 561.416 billion, total sales revenues of RMB 550.914 billion and total profits of RMB 26.235 billion which are a growth of 24.81%, 24.61% and 23.0% over those of the previous year respectively. All these three indexes rank the third nationwide. 

Zhejiang has a comparatively well-established and comprehensive light industry and the output and manufacturing techniques of many products are leading domestically. The products with the highest output in China include sewing machines, smoke ventilator, light leathers, leatherwear, leather bags (sacks), backpacks, soaps, galvanic cells, electric light sources, washing machines, glasses, manual tools, etc.

Overview of Key Industries:

Household electric appliances: there are 491 large-scale enterprises of household electric appliances in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 46.8 billion that accounts for 12.15% of the national total. The manufacturers of household electric appliances are mainly concentrated in Hangzhou, Ningbo and Taizhou, of which Ningbo (including Yuyao and Cixi) has developed a full system of professional supporting manufacturers and become the key source of household electric appliances in China.

Leather industry: there are 1,762 large-scale enterprises of leather products in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 83.4 billion that accounts for 25.58% of the national total. Zhejiang's outputs of light leather and leather garments account for 35% and 44% of the national total respectively and both rank the first in China. Zhejiang’s leather industry is mainly concentrated in Haining and Wenzhou. Haining’s annual output of leather garments accounts for over 1/3 of the national total and it is the biggest manufacturing base of leather garments and sofas in China. Wenzhou has developed a full system of professional supporting manufacturers and become the most important manufacturing base of shoes in China.

Plastic products: there are 2,259 large-scale enterprises of plastic products in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 86.8 billion that accounts for 17.91% of the national total and ranks the 2nd in China. Taizhou Huangyan is the biggest manufacturing base of plastic molds in China; Ningbo Yuyao and Cixi are the biggest manufacturing bases of molded plastic products; and Wenzhou has a high concentration of synthetic leather manufacturers.

Paper making: there are 1,211 large-scale enterprises of paper and paper products in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 48.1 billion that accounts for 11.91% of the national total and ranks the 2nd in China. Paper manufacturers are mostly concentrated in Hangzhou and Ningbo. During the tenth five-year plan, efforts will be made primarily on the development of the two paper making bases in Ningbo and Jiaxing. Ningbo will become China’s biggest paper manufacturing base while Jiaxing the manufacturing base of special types of paper.

Food industry: there are 1,397 large-scale enterprises of food products in Zhejiang Province in 2005 with a total industrial output of RMB 76.6 billion that accounts. This industry now features a concentration of manufacturers of several types of regional and special food products, e.g. the edible vegetable oil manufacturers in Huzhou, Jiaxing and Ningbo; the meat product manufacturers in Jinhua, Jiaxing, Huzhou and Hangzhou; the aquatic product manufacturers in Zhoushan, Ningbo and Taizhou; the dairy product manufacturers in Hangzhou, Jinhua and Wenzhou; the vegetable product manufacturers in Hangzhou (Xiaoshan), Ningbo (Cixi and Yuyao) and Jiaxing; the canned fruit manufacturers in Ningbo, Taizhou and Quzhou; the edible fungi and potherb manufacturers in Lishui; and the manure manufacturers in Jiaxing, etc.