In Handan’s Cheng’an county, traditional industrial firms are increasingly turning to livestreaming to boost sales and expand their market reach, reflecting a broader digital transformation in China’s manufacturing sector. The shift is supported by local government initiatives and is helping companies connect with customers nationwide.

Ding Kelun, a buyer from Zunyi in Guizhou province, recently traveled to Handan in Hebei to collect a truck purchased online after watching a livestream by Wu Ranran, a sales promoter for Handan Boang Special Vehicle Manufacturing. Wu, who has amassed over 170,000 followers since starting livestreaming in 2024, said that previously, marketing was limited to local areas, with sellers physically driving vehicles to nearby cities for promotion. Livestreaming has enabled their company to reach customers across the country, significantly increasing sales.

Wu’s firm now employs 20 livestreamers and sold approximately 1,300 trucks last year, nearly double the volume before adopting livestreaming, with revenues reaching 350 million yuan ($52 million). About 85 percent of those sales originated from livestream promotions, and 70 percent were from outside Hebei province. Wu’s personal livestream sales exceeded 100 million yuan in the same period. She highlighted supportive local policies, such as livestream host training and streamlined temporary license plate applications.

Cheng’an county has embraced a "one product, one livestream" e-commerce model, where livestreams showcase production lines, workshops, and shipping operations to attract viewers and buyers with authentic industry insights. Since the initiative began roughly 18 months ago, 107 industrial companies have integrated livestream sales, generating 15.8 billion yuan in revenue from January to May 2024—a 15 percent year-on-year increase, according to local authorities.

To facilitate this, the government established a 7,800-square-meter industrial park dedicated to livestreaming. The facility offers a logistics warehouse, product exhibition space, 18 shared livestream studios, and training programs, all available free of charge to local enterprises.

Among the companies benefitting is Yibang Machinery Technology, a fastener manufacturer that previously sold products primarily through distributors. Yang Jianhui, the company chairman, noted that livestreaming allows them to sell screws directly to customers by the piece instead of by the ton, improving profit margins and brand visibility. Despite relatively low prices per item, the company now processes about 1,000 livestream orders daily, mostly from repair shops, factories, and construction teams, with a 70 percent repurchase rate. Livestream sales accounted for 20 percent of the company’s total revenue of 15 million yuan in the first quarter of 2024.

Local officials view livestreaming as a key driver of industrial growth in the county. Guo Yanwen, director of Cheng’an’s Development and Reform Bureau, reported that the added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size grew by 9 percent from January to May this year. The industrial park’s public e-commerce center integrates multiple government services related to market regulation, finance, taxation, and administrative approvals, streamlining support for businesses.

Additionally, the government has negotiated lower delivery fees with courier companies to reduce costs for firms. For shipments weighing less than one kilogram, the fee has been cut to 1.6 yuan, representing a 36 percent reduction. This combination of technological innovation and supportive policies underscores Cheng’an’s commitment to modernizing its industrial economy through digital tools like livestreaming.