A woman packs pencils. [Photo/wxls.pro]

In Qingyuan county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, the pencil industry has undergone a remarkable transformation, going from modest beginnings in the 1970s to a major player in the global market.

In 2023, Qingyuan's 52 pencil enterprises produced a staggering 10 billion pencils. Over 85 percent of these products were exported to Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia, generating an impressive export sum.

Recently, Zhejiang Hongxing Stationery Co Ltd, a leading enterprise in the local pencil industry, unveiled its latest innovation — a piece of spray painting equipment designed to enhance the finishing quality of pencils. The company is the only in China to possess this groundbreaking technology, developed over the course of four months.

Zhejiang Lianxing Stationery Co Ltd, the largest colored pencil manufacturer in China, has made significant strides in product innovation, boasting a staggering 520 different colors of colored pencil leads, surpassing global competitors. Investing in a high-tech laboratory, Lianxing aims not only to improve its product testing capabilities but also to set industry standards and participate in standardization efforts.

Companies like Zhejiang Jiuling Brush Co Ltd also have their sights set on the global market, focusing on developing their own brand. Currently, Jiuling's "Nioney" brand charcoal pencil has become a high-end product in the art industry, registered trademarks in 16 countries, and achieved a market share of 30 percent.