Fengxian district – located in East China's Shanghai – broke ground on Nov 11 for 10 new industrial projects, including the Asia-Pacific headquarters of German global engineered plastics components manufacturer igus GmbH.

They'll cost a combined 3.39 billion yuan (over $468 million) and span the green energy, health and digital manufacturing sectors. Once fully operational, the projects are expected to generate annual output of 6.56 billion yuan.

Based in Cologne, Germany, igus is known for its motion plastics and for being a European leader in its field. The company began operations in Fengxian district in 2019, and with annual sales there of nearly 2 billion yuan, it has now committed to building its own plant in the district.

Supported by local policies, igus has seen steady growth in Fengxian and plans to establish an innovative new facility featuring a high-efficiency spiral tower design.

Officials noted that the new igus plant would be one of the largest recent foreign investments in the district.

By advancing "smart equipment" manufacturing, the project is said to underscore Fengxian's overall strategy to strengthen its industrial supply chain and attract overseas firms for long-term growth.