Jilin Chemical Fiber Group, a State-owned enterprise with 54 years' history, is currently facing the challenge of industrial transformation and upgrading and the rayon has become an important part of its development strategy.

Journalists of overseas Chinese media visited the company and rayon products stores on May 26, learning the development and transformation of the enterprise.

Rayon is one of the four major products of the Jilin Chemical Fiber Group, with a capacity of 55,000 tons, accounting for 23 percent of the global rayon market and over 27 percent of the domestic market, and the products are sold to more than 20 provinces and cities in China as well as over 10 countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Journalists visit a rayon products shop in Jilin province on May 26. [Photo by Ding Luyang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Jilin Chemical Fiber Group, built in 1964 and with a total of 14.9 billion yuan ($219.2 million), is an old State-owned enterprise in Jilin city and constantly persists in innovation, especially in the areas of product development and its market.

The company uses rayon to make exquisite qipao, a traditional Chinese-style body-hugging dress for women and the rayon is regarded as an ideal substitute for the mulberry silk since the selling price of the ordinary rayon is just 45,000 yuan per ton and 120,000 yuan for the top-class rayon while the mulberry silk costs more than 300,000 yuan per ton.

The rayon is primarily used to produce high-end female clothing and finished products. Nowadays, the enterprise export its rayon as the raw materials to its overseas agents and then the agents sells them to clothing manufacturers.

A saler introduces rayon products to a journalist. [Photo by Ding Luyang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Its end customers consist of some internationally renowned luxury brands such as Burberry and Prada, whose footwear and luggage products are made by rayon, and some fast fashion brands, like Zara and Mango.

Jilin Chemical Fiber Group's largest foreign market is Cuba and it also occupies larger market shares in Italy, Japan, and Republic of Korea, amounting to 60 percent.

Apart from rayon, the enterprise also produces acrylic fibers, carbon fibers, and bamboo fibers.

Carbon fibers have widely used in making fishing rods, bicycle frames, and golf clubs due to the lightweight and durable characteristics and these products made by carbon fibers enrich the leisure life of many Australians who are in favor of playing golf, go fishing, and riding.