Ruitong Carbon Expands Business Scope to Include IoT and Industrial Internet, Accelerating Digital Transformation 

On June 11, 2024, Hebei Ruitong Carbon Co., Ltd. announced the completion of its business scope registration update, adding new activities such as Internet of Things (IoT) technology services, industrial internet data services, and software development. This marks the company’s official move toward a “carbon + internet” model, aiming to drive deep integration between traditional carbon manufacturing and next-generation information technologies, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the global high-end carbon materials market.

Industry Context: Coexistence of Homogenization Pressure and Transformation Imperatives

In recent years, the graphite electrode industry has faced intensified homogenization due to expanded production capacity both domestically and internationally. Most companies continue to rely on traditional production lines, resulting in convergent product portfolios with limited value-added differentiation. Competition remains predominantly price-driven. Meanwhile, challenges such as high energy consumption, labor-intensive processes, and quality variability restrict improvements in operational efficiency and profitability. Against the backdrop of China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, national policies have raised stricter requirements for manufacturing, pushing green and digital transformation to the forefront.

The 2024-issued “Guidance on Accelerating the Green Development of Manufacturing” explicitly supports key industries in adopting a “short-process technology plus digitalization” model to simultaneously enhance energy and resource utilization efficiency. As a leading industry player, Ruitong Carbon actively responds to this policy by promoting intelligent and digital transformation of its manufacturing system, striving to boost core competitiveness while exploring sustainable development pathways for the sector.

Digital Strategy Implementation: From Data Connectivity to Intelligent Upgrades

The recent expansion of Ruitong’s business scope represents a strategic step in its “Digital Carbon” initiative, rather than a mere extension of services. According to the announcement, the company will implement three core initiatives to establish digital platforms and intelligent manufacturing systems.

1.Building an Industrial Internet Platform

Within the next year, Ruitong plans to connect approximately 2,000 pieces of equipment by deploying industrial edge gateways, sensor networks, and cloud computing platforms. This infrastructure will enable real-time data acquisition and monitoring across key production processes, including raw material feeding, calcination, graphitization, machining, and packaging. Through production process modeling and data analytics, the company aims to achieve intelligent scheduling, predictive maintenance, and energy consumption optimization. Upon full deployment, order fulfillment cycles are expected to shorten by 20%, significantly improving customer responsiveness and market competitiveness.

2.Developing a Carbon Footprint Management System

To comply with national standard GB/T 32151.34-2024 “Requirements for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting and Reporting,” Ruitong will establish a comprehensive carbon emission tracking system covering the full lifecycle—from raw material procurement, production, logistics, and packaging to product disposal. By integrating this system with the IoT platform, the company will automate carbon data collection and visualization, enabling green product traceability for customers and enhancing its low-carbon compliance capabilities in international markets.

3.Expanding Intelligent Equipment Business

Leveraging its technological strengths in graphite electrode manufacturing, Ruitong plans to launch an intelligent packaging robot equipped with vision recognition and multi-axis control capabilities to replace manual packaging operations. This robot will autonomously perform electrode identification, sleeve fitting, protective pad placement, and shrink-wrapping, substantially reducing labor intensity while improving packaging consistency and transportation safety. This innovation is expected to set a new benchmark for intelligent upgrading in the industry.

Market Response: Strong Support from Capital and Industry

Following the announcement, Ruitong Carbon’s transformation initiatives have been positively received by capital markets. Several industry analysts express optimism about the value digital capabilities can bring to the high-end carbon materials market. Currently, ultra-high power (UHP) graphite electrodes are extensively applied in large electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, lithium-ion battery anode materials, and specialty metallurgy, where product consistency, delivery cycles, and traceability are critically important. By leveraging digital technologies to enhance quality control and customization, Ruitong is expected to strengthen its bargaining power and customer loyalty, further consolidating its position in the mid-to-high-end international market segment.

Transitioning from manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing, Ruitong Carbon is accelerating its journey toward a digital factory through systematic strategy and substantial investment. The expansion of its business scope not only represents a broadening of operational dimensions but also reflects the company’s forward-looking vision for sustained high-quality development. As related platforms and systems come online over the next two to three years, the digital transformation outcomes are expected to become apparent, offering exemplary value for technological upgrades and sustainable development in the graphite electrode industry.