Shanxi Anyun Fan Co., Ltd. has, over 44 years, redefined industry standards in the fan sector and spearheaded the industry’s transformation and upgrading—moving from “breaking the deadlock” to “setting the pace.”

Inside the workshop of Shanxi Anyun Fan Co., Ltd., workers are assembling fan blades.

Workers are welding the fan housing. The photos in this section were taken by our reporter, Chen Fangbin.

Within a modern industrial park in the Yanchi High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, machine tools rumble and equipment runs at high speed. In the die-casting workshop, aluminum alloy blades are precisely shaped, while in the electrical control workshop, intricate circuitry stretches like a neural network. Together with motors and housings, these components assemble into one mining ventilation fan after another. These products are far more than ordinary industrial goods—they are the “breathing apparatus” for miners working deep underground.

Founded in 1981, Shanxi Anyun Fan Co., Ltd. has, over the course of 44 years, not only shattered the technological monopoly held by foreign players in the fan industry but has also emerged as a leader in setting industry standards for coal‑mining fans, achieving a leap‑forward transformation from “breaking the deadlock” to “pioneering the way.”

In-house manufacturing builds a robust competitive moat.

Mine ventilation fans are critical equipment that directly affect miners’ safety and the efficient operation of coal mines. For many years, these devices were entirely reliant on imports. The urgent demand from coal mines, coupled with the technological bottleneck that constrained domestic capabilities, ultimately led to the development of Anyun Ventilation Fans.

In 1981, Anyun Fan Co., Ltd. was established, becoming the first domestic manufacturer of explosion-proof mine ventilation fans. As its facilities grew from scratch to a substantial scale, Anyun Fan gradually set up four production sites across China and built a nationwide manufacturing network. “Anyun Fan has participated in the drafting and formulation of national and industry standards for mine ventilation fans, which recognizes nearly half a century of technological expertise and market presence, and underscores our leading role in the industry,” said Li Jingzhe, Chairman of Anyun Fan.

A wind turbine consists of a power section and a control section. The power section comprises the blades, the motor, and the housing, while the control section is the electrical control system. Currently, domestic wind-turbine manufacturers primarily source motors, blades, and electrical control systems from external suppliers, producing only the housing in-house for internal use. AnYun Wind Turbines stands out by achieving in-house production of blades, housings, and electrical control systems, with an in-house production rate as high as 75%. By contrast, its peers typically have an in-house production rate of only around 25%.

Inside the Anyun Fan Blade Production Workshop, bundles of aluminum ingots gleam with a cool metallic sheen. They are soon to be melted at high temperatures and cast under pressure into molds, taking on the raw contours of the blades. Subsequently, the blades undergo rough grinding and polishing to eliminate surface imperfections, gradually revealing their metallic texture, before being precisely conveyed to the fine‑polishing stage.

“The molds used in die casting are all developed in-house. The blades we produce feature shapes and performance that precisely match those of other components, while also offering greater durability and stability, thereby effectively boosting the wind turbine’s airflow, pressure, and efficiency. At present, the blades manufactured by our company are not sold externally. Since beginning in-house blade production earlier this year, we’ve been able to pursue R&D with full freedom, no longer fearing imitation from competitors,” Li Jingzhe told reporters.

The second major advantage of Anyun Fans lies in their electrical control systems. In the past, these systems were mostly purchased externally, often leading to issues such as incompatibility, unstable current and voltage, and delayed maintenance. Particularly problematic was that externally sourced control systems typically came with passwords; when a fault occurred, repairs could only be performed by the original manufacturer. If that manufacturer went out of business during the fan’s 20-year service life, the entire high‑value system would effectively “die,” forcing users to replace it entirely at considerable cost.

To this end, Anyun Fan has invested 20 million yuan in a technological upgrade project for its electrical equipment, upgrading and renovating the original electrical control workshop and procuring and installing a complete set of high- and low-voltage switchgear production lines along with related testing equipment. The project is now completed and in operation, with an annual output value of 20 million yuan. The commissioning of this project marks Anyun Fan’s transition to self‑manufacturing and self‑use of electrical control systems, effectively addressing potential issues associated with externally sourced systems.

Innovation-driven approaches are unlocking new momentum for transformation.

As smart mine development gains momentum and environmental protection and energy‑saving standards become increasingly stringent, the mining fan industry faces an urgent need for transformation and upgrading. At its core, this transition entails evolving from a “single high‑tech piece of equipment” to a “safe, efficient, energy‑saving, and intelligent ventilation system solution.” Such transformation demands innovation—and, above all, fresh perspectives, skilled talent, and new R&D priorities.

Li Jingzhe, a young executive born in 1998 with a Ph.D. in fluid mechanics, took the helm of Anyun Blowers and infused the long-established company with fresh perspectives. Under his leadership, the company’s drive toward intelligent manufacturing, premium product offerings, and strategic transformation has accelerated markedly—

Anyun Fans maintains collaborative partnerships with numerous universities and research institutes, including China University of Mining and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and the Institute of Fluid Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, consistently translating cutting-edge technologies from the fan industry into practical applications at Anyun Fans. The company’s independently developed “Main Ventilator Non-Stop Wind Reversal System” won a national gold award at the 2023 China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Its proprietary “Nickel-Chromium Alloy Thermal-Sprayed Blades” have earned widespread acclaim from customers, while its self-developed “Intelligent High- and Low-Voltage Electrical Control System” provides users with comprehensive fan solutions—including electrical control and online monitoring—alongside related electrical equipment. Additionally, its independently created “Automatic Louver‑Adjusting Damper” was honored with the “13th Five-Year Plan” Science and Technology Innovation Award in China’s coal‑mining machinery sector. The company has repeatedly been recognized as an “Advanced Enterprise in Technological Innovation” and an “Advanced Enterprise in Brand Building.” Furthermore, Anyun Fans operates one of the most fully equipped domestic test facilities for mining fans, capable of conducting technical performance evaluations on various models and voltage ratings.

Moreover, Anyun Fans is expanding into entirely new application areas.

Across the city, demand for mining fans in our province is substantial. As the birthplace of axial-flow mining fans in China, our city has, over many years of development, established a robust industrial foundation. In 2024, national fan production reached 45.8655 million units, up 3.01% year on year. Among them, our city is home to 23 fan manufacturers with an annual output value of approximately RMB 1 billion, accounting for 35% of the national total.

Turning to Yanhu District, the district is home to a total of 12 wind‑turbine manufacturing and sales enterprises, accounting for 52% of Yuncheng City’s wind‑turbine industry and generating an annual output value of approximately RMB 580 million. Among these, three are classified as large‑scale enterprises—Shanxi Anyun Wind‑Turbine Co., Ltd., Shanxi Julong Wind‑Turbine Co., Ltd., and Yuncheng Anhong Energy‑Saving Explosion‑Proof Wind‑Turbine Co., Ltd.—which together achieved an annual output value of RMB 450 million in 2024, making the district the core agglomeration area of the city’s wind‑turbine industry.

A significant number of wind turbine manufacturers have clustered in Yanhu District, fostering a complete industrial ecosystem. This concentration facilitates technological collaboration, resource sharing, and coordinated linkages with supporting industries, thereby continuously strengthening the cluster’s competitive advantages. At the same time, market competition is becoming increasingly intense.

“Suppressing competitors is not a wise move. We should cooperate in competition and advance together through technological exchange. Once the industrial cluster’s reputation grows, customers will think of Yuncheng—and of Yanhu District—whenever they purchase wind turbines. That is the hallmark of a healthy industrial ecosystem,” said Li Jingzhe. He added that Anyun Wind Turbines will continue to enhance the intelligence and digitalization of its products, drive progress across the industry, and gradually expand into the power‑generation and nuclear‑energy sectors, opening up new growth engines.

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