These small, effective and portable drilling rigs are being made by Zhejiang Kongshan Heavy Industry Machinery Co Ltd. [Photo/Lishui Daily]

A batch of down-the-hole drilling rigs, mobile air compressors and other equipment – valued at $1 million – produced by Zhejiang Kongshan Heavy Industry Machinery Co Ltd were shipped to the port of Durban in South Africa recently.

A down-the-hole drill – as opposed to a fixed core rock-boring drill – consists of a mobile jackhammer screwed on the bottom of a drill string. The fast hammer action breaks the hard rock into small cuttings and dust that are evacuated by a fluid. 

The company is located in Longquan, a county-level city administered by Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province. The delivery of this batch of orders is said to have marked a breakthrough in Lishui's complete vehicles production and exports.

The orders were placed by the Sinohydro Engineering Bureau 8 Co Ltd. The equipment is designed to help Sinohydro undertake the construction of important hydropower projects in Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The construction machinery industry has always been the leading industry in Longquan. This transaction is expected to play an important role in driving more upstream and downstream support projects from related industry supply chains to Longquan, according to an official from the Longquan economic development zone.

Zhejiang Kongshan Heavy Industry Machinery Co Ltd was founded in October 2020. Its main business is manufacturing, research and the development of mining machinery and construction machinery. It is the first complete vehicles manufacturer in Lishui.

After its 210-million-yuan ($30.96 million) production line becomes fully operational, it will be able to produce 3,000 drilling rigs annually that are energy-saving and eco-friendly, according to company officials.