Robotic arms operate with precision at Wuhan Haier’s freezer workshop. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]
Wuhan Haier Group's freezer factory in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) now operates two main assembly lines with a peak daily production capacity of 7,000 units – producing one freezer every 15 seconds. During the first seven months of this year, orders increased by 18 percent year on year, with production plans extending to the end of 2026 and an annual output target of two million units.
The factory has invested over 100 million yuan ($14 million) in intelligent upgrades, introducing a digital twin system for real-time visualization of production line operations and fault alerts. Flexible production lines enable product model changes at the touch of a button, eliminating lengthy downtimes. With an automation rate of 45 percent, many labor-intensive tasks have been replaced, allowing frontline workers to shift into technical roles.
Since its transformation in 2020, the factory has achieved a 99.8 percent detection rate of potential hazards, improved anomaly response speeds by 95 percent, reduced inspection manpower by 70 percent, and lowered comprehensive costs by more than 40 percent. Commissioned in 2005, this facility is Haier's largest intelligent freezer production base, manufacturing both household and commercial models.
