Heilongjiang's heavy industrial heritage, once a defining characteristic of the black soil, is undergoing a profound transformation. The traditional production lines of steel mills, gas turbines, and automotive engines, hampered by long winters and inefficient management, are now being revitalized by a digital wave.
In the first half of 2026, a deep-seated revolution driven by digital technology is sweeping across the province. With "intelligent transformation, digitalization, and networking" as its core strategy, Heilongjiang is pushing its manufacturing sector beyond superficial upgrades toward a systemic, province-wide digital leap. The number of nationally recognized first-level digital transformation enterprises in the province has increased by 401 in the first half of the year, reaching a total of 2,450, a 14.3 percentage point increase from the start of the year to 67.2%. These figures mark a clear benchmark for Heilongjiang's intelligent manufacturing progress.
Pilot Programs Build a Benchmark Matrix
The digital transformation of manufacturing is not a solitary endeavor for individual companies. A complete and controllable promotion system is the fundamental logic behind a regional industrial breakthrough. Heilongjiang is advancing "3+3" national and provincial pilot cities for SME digital transformation, establishing a closed-loop system with dynamic management and ongoing evaluation. A normalized supervision mechanism of weekly data, monthly lists, and quarterly progress reports has been created, alongside third-party performance assessments from national research institutes. This process involves verifying results, identifying shortcomings, and urging corrections at the grassroots level, ensuring all localities take responsibility for their transformation.
Tangible results are evident: 370 new enterprises signed digital transformation contracts in the first half, bringing the total to 1,164, completing 70.6% of the annual target. Harbin successfully passed the final performance evaluation for the first batch of national pilot cities, while Qiqihar, Mudanjiang, Jiamusi, and Jixi have completed high-quality mid-term assessments. The pilot demonstration effect is continuously expanding, accelerating the formation of a province-wide collaborative transformation landscape.
Building on this, a four-level smart factory cultivation system—basic, advanced, excellent, and leading—has been established, promoting step-by-step upgrades for enterprises. The province newly recognized 42 basic-level and 15 advanced-level smart factories, bringing the cumulative totals to 408 and 46, respectively. Companies like Harbin Turbine and Longjiang Guanghan are leveraging AI and digital twin technology to become national "excellent" smart factories, while Feihe Dairy and Harbin Electric Machinery are aiming for the "leading" level. The SME transformation team is also expanding, with 50 new provincial-level digital transformation benchmark enterprises recognized, totaling 247. The full-process intelligent management model of Shuangcheng Nestlé is being promoted province-wide, helping SMEs overcome their reluctance to transform.
On the national stage, Heilongjiang's intelligent manufacturing is making its mark. In the first half, 15 enterprises and institutions were named national model demonstrations for "intelligent transformation, digitalization, and networking." Projects by HIT Smart Research, Budweiser, Hengfeng Paper, and Daqing Oilfield were selected as national benchmarks. Jianlong Xigang, Longmei Chengshan Coal Mine, and Harbin Turbine were among the top 100 national 5G factory cases, ranking first in the three northeastern provinces.
Real factories are putting digital value to the test. Jianlong Xigang's 5G smart factory, with 32 macro stations and 9 micro stations, has achieved full coverage and implemented nine types of 5G applications, creating an annual benefit of 125 million yuan. CSSC Longjiang Guanghan's gas turbine workshop uses digital twins and AGV logistics for full-process digital management, replacing manual experience-based scheduling. Harbin Dong'an Power's new energy engine smart factory has built a complete digital loop from R&D to quality, with an annual capacity of 300,000 units, a 19% increase in production efficiency, and a 13.39% reduction in energy consumption per unit of output. The province also newly recognized 47 first sets of products, solidifying its digital manufacturing foundation.
Service Bridges Create a Balanced Supply-Demand Ecosystem
Many SMEs are eager to upgrade but lack suitable solutions or reliable technology, while information gaps between service providers and demand create a core bottleneck. Heilongjiang has built a comprehensive digital transformation supply-demand matching service platform to break down these barriers and create a sustainable industrial service ecosystem.
Offline matching events have achieved province-wide coverage, with 34 such activities held in the first half, covering all 13 cities and prefectures, and involving over 1,500 enterprises and 2,700 participants. These events go beyond simple briefings, focusing on the development needs of ten key industries, including high-end equipment and green food. 44 replicable, high-quality industry cases were selected for field visits to benchmark factories, allowing enterprises to observe intelligent production lines, calculate costs and benefits, and turn abstract digital plans into practical, actionable paths.
The supply side is also expanding, with the provincial digital service provider resource pool growing. 17 new high-quality service providers and 51 industry-specific solutions were added, bringing the total to 115 service providers and 293 mature solutions. These providers cover steel, equipment, food, and energy industries, and can tailor lightweight, highly adaptable solutions based on enterprise size and production scenarios. The resource pool has served 2,920 enterprises, with a total service value of 880 million yuan, creating a closed-loop model of "enterprise demand, platform resources, and service provider solutions."
This service system caters to the differentiated needs of large and small enterprises. Large companies can connect with top service providers for deep projects like 5G full-connection factories, while SMEs can choose low-cost, lightweight digital tools for phased upgrades. Through regular field studies, precise matching, and a strong service provider base, the province's digital transformation is no longer a solo effort but a collective action with platform support, technical backing, and real-world case studies, continuously activating the transformation potential of small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Policy Support Builds a Solid Computing Power Base
The high cost and long payback period of digital transformation is a major deterrent for enterprises. Heilongjiang is addressing this with proactive policies, precise fiscal spending, and supporting computing infrastructure, providing multiple layers of support to ease the burden on companies.
On the policy front, the province has fully implemented 20 measures for "intelligent transformation, digitalization, and networking" in manufacturing, alongside special support for technological upgrades and equipment renewal. In the first half, 360 million yuan in provincial fiscal funds were disbursed, benefiting 277 enterprises, directly reducing transformation costs and leveraging 2.4 billion yuan in enterprise self-investment. The province has also secured 200 million yuan in national support funds for 37 key digital projects with a total investment of 1.67 billion yuan, providing stable funding for the construction of benchmark factories, 5G workshops, and industrial internet platforms.
Long-term industrial development requires a solid digital foundation. The province has issued the "Heilongjiang Province Computing Power Voucher Management Measures (Trial)" and established a provincial computing power supply-demand matching platform. It provides computing power subsidies to manufacturing enterprises, reducing costs for cloud platforms, data modeling, and simulation analysis. Through a unified computing platform, SMEs can access cloud-based computing resources on demand without building their own expensive facilities, empowering intelligent workshop management and driving industry-wide data-driven upgrades.
For a long time, the narrative of the old industrial base in Northeast China has been about its heavy past and transformation pains. Heilongjiang's practice of "intelligent transformation, digitalization, and networking" in the first half of 2026 offers a new solution: not to demolish and rebuild, but to activate the existing stock of traditional industries with digital technology and cultivate new productive forces. From less than 50% of enterprises being at the first level of digital transformation at the start of the year to a 67.2% coverage rate in the first half, the 14.3 percentage point leap represents the digital reshaping of thousands of production lines.
The provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology will continue to focus on the main direction of new industrialization, deepening the core tasks of intelligent transformation, digitalization, and networking. It will continue to strengthen pilot demonstrations, optimize policy supply, improve the service ecosystem, and expand the benchmark matrix, empowering traditional industries with digital technology and fostering the growth of new productive forces to write a new chapter of high-quality development and sustainable revitalization for Heilongjiang's industry.
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