Jilin in northeast China is growing into the next ski equipment manufacturing powerhouse, with the country's snow economy heating up and the province pooling its resources to develop quality homegrown products.
Jilin has long been engaged in the business of ski gear manufacturing, with many local enterprises involved in producing the necessary raw materials. One manufacturer in Jilin City for instance has been supplying polymer materials for multiple international leading snowboard brands.
"Our factory has been running production non-stop. Last year our output was nearly 40 tons, and this year it has reached nearly 100 tons so far," said Wu Bida, general manager of the company.
Currently, most of China's ski equipment production is concentrated in the country's south. However, some domestic companies capable of producing state-of-the-art ski gears are starting to open new factories for advanced gears in Jilin -- closer to a sizable and still growing market.
"Now what we have on sale here in China are mostly imported gears for skiing, but actually China's tech level in this regard, including the research and development capabilities, is not inferior to that of any other country," said Yan Shuai, a market executive for Jilin's Beidahu Ski Resort.
Some ski resorts in Jilin are already providing domestically produced professional equipment for rent this year, including snowboards from a newly emerged local brand owned by Jilin Chemical Fiber Group (JL-Fiber).
"The entire surface of this snowboard is made of carbon fiber. It is about 30 percent lighter than a regular snowboard. Carbon fiber has high stiffness, stronger impact resistance and better toughness," said Zhou Zhiyou, sales director of the company.
In 2024, Jilin initiated the development of an ice and snow equipment industrial park centered in Jilin City, with several other cities within the province assuming supporting roles. It has also stepped up efforts in promoting research and development, with top universities in the province setting up labs to work on advanced snow sports gears with better performance that are more tailored to the market.
"At present, many domestic (snowshoe producers) are in the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) status, and their products are made according to the physiological characteristics and bone shapes of Europeans. We need localization, and we also need a set of localized standards. So, we mainly serve the testing of some products independently developed in our country," said Li Hailian, professor at Beihua University's School of Mechanical Engineering.
Jilin on track to become manufacturing powerhouse for winter sports gear
