Yichang builds on high-end calcium carbonate industry cluster

Translator and Editor: Tan Maolin, Yichang International Communication Studio
Journalist: Deng Yuqin, Three Gorges Daily
Photographer: Lin Xiao, Three Gorges Daily

Yichang signed contracts on cooperation in the calcium carbonate industry with eight of the leading domestic pharmaceutical companies last week. Based on rich and high-quality calcium carbonate resources, Yichang has made great strides toward building a high-end calcium carbonate industry cluster in recent years.
 

On March 28-29, the National Calcium Carbonate Health Industry Development Forum was held in Yichang. More than 300 experts, representatives of companies making calcium medicine and health care professionals gathered to discuss the future of the city’s calcium carbonate industry.

Yichang has about 200 million tons of calcium carbonate reserves, of which the comprehensive quality of the calcite ore tops China’s six calcium carbonate bases. The calcite is one of the forms in which calcium carbonate exists. This provides a solid foundation for Yichang’s development in this industry.

In 2023, the operating income of biomedicine in Yichang reached 63.07 billion yuan (US$8.90 billion), of which Angel Yeast and Humanwell Healthcare are the leading enterprises. Yichang has nearly 100 upstream and downstream enterprises in the calcium carbonate industry. However, many are making low value-added primary products.

At the meeting, Yichang signed strategic cooperation agreements with Beijing Sunshine Nohe Drug Research Co., Ltd. and seven other leading companies in the domestic pharmaceutical industry. The two sides will cooperate in biomedical R&D, production, promotion, sales and technology.

After meeting, experts and representatives visited local enterprises. Mochen Pharmaceutical has built a production line with an annual output of 40,000 tons of calcium carbonate active pharmaceutical ingredients, which can realize an annual sales income of about 240 million yuan after reaching full production. Angel Nutrition, a subsidiary of a leading Yichang company Angel Yeast, has developed a variety of yeast-derived specialty health foods and medicines, of which the annual sales of calcium supplements amount to about 40 million yuan.