The maintenance industry has been developing rapidly in Shanghai's Free Trade Zone as reported on Pudong's website on Jan 30.

The maintenance industry has been regarded as an important factor to take into consideration when evaluating the competitiveness of a country or a district. The industry also plays an important role in boosting economy.

According to formal statistics, Shanghai Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau has repaired 27 thousand articles, and the revenue gained from the maintenance has reached a staggering 420 million dollars.

Maintenance services have helped companies save time, money and labor. In the past, Orbotech company, which specializes in producing semiconductors, had to transport its devices to its Israel-based headquarter for maintenance. As a result, the company had to pay the transportation fee and sometimes there would not be enough stock, which delayed processes even further.

In August, 2017, Orbotech founded a company in the Free Trade Zone, which is to provide maintenance services to companies around the globe. Since then, devices that require maintenance are able to be repaired in China. Furthermore, devices in other countries can now also be sent to Shanghai for repair, bringing great benefits to China’s economy.

At present, Orbotech has been planning to provide maintenance services in five main fields, namely on computers, circuit boards, motors, cameras and electrical components. It is estimated that annual revenue will reach 10 million dollars and it will hopefully become a global maintenance center in the near future.

The Shanghai Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau has set a series of regulations and procedures, orientated towards worn-out mechanical and electrical products. In July, 2015, the bureau released and implemented an innovative monitoring policy for executing global maintenance. This practice will enhance the efficiency of the maintenance business and ensure the quality of the service. It has also proven to be beneficial for the environment.

Shanghai's Free Trade Zone has been developing global maintenance by continuously improving its technology and upgrading its systems. Now, six enterprises of the free trade zone possess the capability of providing qualified maintenance services. Targets have been set for the maintenance industry covering several areas such as in communication tools, computer networks, automobile electronics, semiconductors, industrial control equipment, aviation and electronic devices.

Workers are repairing components in a factory. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]