Ningbo New Materials Science & Technology City
宁波新材料科技城
Ningbo New Materials represents China's most diversified new materials cluster and demonstrates that focused industrial policy can overcome geographic disadvantage — earning the title "China's Magnetic Capital" (中国磁都) with ~40% national share despite having no rare earth deposits. As one of China's first 7 national new materials bases (2011), Ningbo has built 5 world-class competitive industrial clusters spanning chemical, magnetic, alloy, film, and IC materials. The 491.9B yuan output (2024) and 2 national advanced manufacturing clusters validate scale. The innovation ecosystem — CAS Ningbo Institute (200+ major achievements transferred), Yongjiang Laboratory, National Graphene Innovation Center, 30+ ministry-level platforms — drives commercialization, with technology contracts exceeding 100B yuan for the first time in 2024. The 20 national single-item champions and 69 "little giants" represent deep supply chain opportunities. However, the 500B yuan target for 2025 is ambitious, and competition from Suzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing in specific segments is intensifying.
Established
2011
Zhenhai District (镇海区)
Land Area
N/A
Ningbo
Entity Type
HTDZ
Municipal-level; core in Zhenhai District
Anchor Firms
3
profiled
Key Metrics
New materials industry output
491.936 billion yuan
2024
Above-scale enterprises
1,095
2024
National single-item champions
20
2024
National "little giants"
69
2024
Listed companies (new materials)
19
2024
High-tech enterprises
810
2024
Magnetic materials national share
~40%
2024
Rare earth permanent magnet national capacity
46%
2024
Technology contract value
121.704 billion yuan (first time >100B)
2024
Industrial Positioning
Primary Sectors
Secondary Sectors
Strategic Role
"Global New Materials Industry Highland" (全球新材料产业高地); "China's Magnetic Capital" (中国磁都); one of China's 7 national new materials high-tech bases.
Policy Alignment
- Ningbo's "361" trillion-level industrial cluster strategy
- Zhejiang Province "Three Major Innovation Highlands" (三大科创高地)
- National new materials self-reliance strategy
Designation History
National Base
Designated as National New Materials Industry High-Tech Base (one of first 7 nationally)
Science City Established
Ningbo New Materials Science and Technology City formally established
Yongjiang Laboratory
Yongjiang Laboratory (甬江实验室) inaugurated — Zhejiang's 5th provincial laboratory
National Advanced Clusters
Green Petrochemical and Magnetic Materials clusters selected as National Advanced Manufacturing Clusters
491.9B Yuan Output
New materials output exceeded 491.9B yuan; "361" trillion-level industrial cluster strategy launched
Current Designations
Anchor Companies
Jiangfeng Electronics
江丰电子
Domestic leader in semiconductor materials; broke Japan-US monopoly; "China's core using China's materials" exemplar
Boway Alloy
博威合金
Copper-graphene composite materials pioneer; national single-item champion; diversified industrial applications
Yunsheng
韵升
One of China's largest rare earth permanent magnet manufacturers; 8,000 tons annual capacity; complete equipment technology
Location & Logistics
Geographic Scope
Zhenhai New Materials Town (镇海新材料小镇) as core; extends to Ningbo High-Tech Zone and Ningbo Petrochemical ETDZ.
Transport & Connectivity
Adjacent to Ningbo Zhoushan Port (world's largest port by throughput); Hangzhou-Ningbo high-speed rail; Ningbo Metro; integrated into Yangtze River Delta transport network.
Governing Body
Ningbo Municipal Government / Zhenhai District Government
Official Website
www.ningbo.gov.cn/Also Known As
Ningbo New Materials Town, 镇海新材料小镇, Ningbo New Materials Zone
Analysis
Strengths
- One of first 7 national new materials bases; 5 world-class industrial clusters
- "China's Magnetic Capital" (~40% national share, 46% rare earth permanent magnet capacity)
- Most diversified materials portfolio (chemical, magnetic, alloy, film, IC)
- Strong innovation: CAS Ningbo, Yongjiang Lab, National Graphene Center
- 20 national single-item champions; 69 national "little giants"; 19 listed companies
- Technology contracts >100B yuan (2024) — strong commercialization
- Ningbo Zhoushan Port logistics advantage (world's largest port)
Caveats & Limitations
- 500B yuan target ambitious given current trajectory
- "World-class" claim aspirational for some segments
- Intense competition from Suzhou/Shenzhen/Beijing in specific materials
- Some segments (graphene) still emerging; heavy reliance on CAS Ningbo for tech transfer
Comparative Context
More diversified than Suzhou Nano Polis (focused on nano); stronger in magnetic materials than any other Chinese hub; comparable to Shenzhen in breadth but different material focus. "China's Magnetic Capital" positioning is unique nationally.