Eihe Steel Structure: Full Throttle on Production to Reach New Heights

February 15, Laixi, Qingdao – At the construction site of the BAIC (Beijing Automotive Group) production base expansion project, towering crane arms hoisted massive 30-meter steel columns into place. The site was a scene of disciplined coordination and mechanical precision.

“We began fabrication before the Lunar New Year. After a period of intense, organized production, we completed the column processing on February 14 and conducted the first hoist today,” said Liu Jiaping, Assistant to the President of Qingdao Yihe Steel Structure Group. Since partnering with BAIC in 2020, Yihe has earned the title of “Gold Partner” through its robust technical strength, premium quality, and efficient service, securing multiple contracts for BAIC’s main plants and supporting facilities.

A Strong Start to 2025
The BAIC expansion is a flagship project for Yihe in 2025. Following the Spring Festival break, the company resumed operations on the eighth day of the first lunar month. Work is now progressing rapidly across several major fronts, including the Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport terminal pier project and several large-scale nuclear power projects.

Inside the fabrication workshops, the atmosphere is electric. Laser cutters slice through steel plates according to programmed precision, sparks fly along the welding lines, and a steady stream of prefabricated steel components are dispatched from the floor—a testament to a company operating at peak capacity.

Industry Leadership Through Innovation
As a provincial-level New Construction Industrialization Base and a leading enterprise in Qingdao’s steel structure sector, Yihe has maintained high-speed growth by focusing on talent recruitment and technological innovation. The company currently ranks No. 1 in Qingdao, No. 2 in Shandong Province, and among the Top 30 nationwide in terms of comprehensive strength.

At the Yihe Design Institute, engineers are currently finalizing construction plans for a major power enterprise. Yihe holds Grade A qualifications in design and Grade I qualifications in both manufacturing and professional contracting.

Talent Pool: The company has recruited over 100 university graduates, with technical personnel making up 50% of the workforce.

Expertise: The team includes a Chief Engineer with a PhD and over 10 Master’s degree holders.

Research Hubs: Yihe hosts a Post-doctoral Workstation and the province’s first Academician Workstation in the steel structure industry, ensuring a competitive edge at the source of the production chain.

Achievements: With over 100 patents and recognized construction methods, the company has built numerous landmarks. Notably, its BAIC New Energy project was the first local Qingdao project to win the China Steel Structure Gold Award.

Smart Manufacturing and Digital Transformation
Yihe continues to invest heavily in smart factory capabilities. A standout piece of equipment is the 200-ton plate rolling machine—the first of its kind in Qingdao’s industry—capable of processing steel plates up to 8cm thick. This significantly enhances the company’s ability to handle irregular materials and ultra-large-scale engineering projects.

Furthermore, the company recently invested 2 million RMB in a 20,000-watt large-scale laser cutter to improve precision and efficiency. By collaborating with institutions like Qingdao University of Technology, Yihe is accelerating its digitalization. Through the use of QR codes, barcodes, and BIM (Building Information Modeling) platforms, the company has achieved real-time synchronization between the manufacturing plant and the construction site, enabling full visual management.

Prestigious Recognitions
This surge in core competitiveness has brought significant official accolades:

July 2024: Selected as the only steel structure enterprise in the first batch of “Smart Construction Production Enterprises” by the Qingdao Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau.

December 2024: Named a “Chain Leader” in the New Construction Industrialization Chain (First Batch) by the Shandong Provincial Government.

March 2024: Recognized as a “Leading Backbone Enterprise” in the Shandong construction industry.

Eyes on the Global Market
Over the past decade, Yihe has expanded from Qingdao to the rest of China, with projects spanning from the Shandong Port of Qingdao and Jiaodong International Airport to Tianjin, Beijing, and Chongqing.

However, Chairman Liu Jie believes the next frontier is international. In 2024, the company dispatched inspection teams to Central Asia, South America, and Southeast Asia. In the “First Lesson” of the new work year, global expansion was identified as one of five core strategic priorities.

“As China’s national strength grows, the competitiveness of Chinese infrastructure in the international market is unparalleled,” said Liu Jie. “The ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative provides us with a historic opportunity. In the coming years, foreign trade will be a major growth engine. This is a path we must take to transform Yihe into a truly international entity and reach new heights.”