Botou city in China has 1,400 years of foundry history and is the “hometown of foundry” in China. The main products produced in Botou cover industry, handicrafts and municipal facilities, including more than 10 series and thousands of types, such as automobile molds, machine tool castings, auto parts, wind power parts, military and aerospace parts, nuclear equipment, pump and valves, explosion-proof tools.
Metalcasting is an important pillar in the economic sector of Botou. By the end of 2017, the number of foundry enterprises had been reduced to 589 from 1,500 due to consolidation in the past 10 years. The annual design production capacity is more than 4 million tons, the casting output reaches 2 million tons, and sales revenue comes to 16 billion yuan.
In order to realize the sustainable development of Botou foundry industry and promote its modern, high-end and green transformation, and to make the industry stronger, Botou city has carried out an overall environmental protection improvement. Meanwhile, China Foundry Association has provided consulting and technical support, dispatching more than 1,000 experts in areas of technical process, environmental protection technology and industrial policy to guide the work. More than 700 companies have been evaluated and 372 evaluation programs have been passed.
After the initiative, standardized and clean workshops have been established in the city, with the environment improved inside and outside the plant and better production conditions for the occupational health of workers. ■