A workshop belonging to Zhejiang Huarong Aviation Equipment Co Ltd in Huangyan district, Taizhou. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfb001]

China recently celebrated the successful maiden commercial flight of the nation's first domestically-developed narrow-body jet, the C919.

On May 28, 130 passengers took off on China Eastern Airlines flight MU 9191 from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, where they were greeted with a traditional water salute.

One of the crucial tooling suppliers for the domestically-manufactured aircraft is Zhejiang Huarong Aviation Equipment Co Ltd, a private company with over 30 years of tooling production experience. Huarong, based in Taizhou's Huangyan district, contributed to the C919's development by designing and developing the tooling needed to produce the advanced composite parts required by the plane.

"Even though the tooling did not directly apply to the aircraft, it made it possible to produce the advanced composite parts necessary for the C919," said Cai Xirong, general manager at the company.

Apart from their involvement in the manufacturing of the C919, Huarong has been playing a vital role in the national "Space Station Simulation System" project, according to Cai.

The Taizhou company has also been exploring new development engines by developing advanced composite products while sticking to their manufacturing of tooling.