After successfully launching the world’s inaugural industrial internet “Lighthouse Factory” in the beer and beverage sector, Qingdao Beer is setting a new benchmark for green development in the global food and beverage industry. On October 8, the World Economic Forum unveiled its latest selections of “Lighthouse Factories,” and Qingdao Brewery, established 121 years ago, has been recognized as the world’s first sustainable Lighthouse Factory in the food and beverage category.

Lighthouse Factories symbolize the cutting edge of digital manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Among them, Sustainable Lighthouse Factories are selected through an additional rigorous process. These factories not only excel in smart and efficient operations, but they also prioritize green and low-carbon growth, earning the distinguished title of “Lighthouse among Lighthouses.” Companies achieving this status are acknowledged for their innovative use of advanced technology to lessen environmental impact, setting a global standard for operational excellence.

What’s more, Qingdao Beer has made remarkable progress in recent years. Responding to increasing consumer demands for personalized and diverse beer options, the brewery has embraced intelligent digital technologies throughout its value chain. This shift has resulted in a 50% reduction in delivery times for customer orders and new product development, significantly enhancing production efficiency. Consequently, it was awarded the title of the world’s first industrial internet “Lighthouse Factory” in the beer and beverage sector in 2021.

Continuing its evolution, Qingdao Brewery has bolstered its resource recycling capabilities. By honing the integration of industrial internet and IoT technologies, the brewery has effectively alleviated production bottlenecks and enhanced synergies across resource utilization, energy consumption, and ecological impacts. Sustainable practices are embedded throughout the product lifecycle, promoting optimization and upgrades across the supply chain, enhancing the company’s “low-carbon competitiveness,” and elevating product quality. This commitment places Qingdao Beer at the forefront of value chain optimization and paves the way for the high-end, smart, and green transformation of traditional manufacturing.

Enno de Boer, Global Head of Enterprise Technology at McKinsey, emphasizes the importance of these advancements: “Currently, many organizations are grappling with performance, environmental, and production challenges while aiming to fully harness the potential of artificial intelligence. The latest batch of Lighthouse Factories has illuminated the way forward for them.” These pioneering factories are at the forefront of integrating advanced technologies, achieving comprehensive goals from operational efficiency to environmental governance.

The industry has introduced lightweight bottles, reducing the weight of their 330ml glass bottles by 75 grams, alongside thinner aluminum cans that have seen raw material thickness shrink from 0.265mm to 0.260mm. Significant improvements are happening behind every bottle of Qingdao Beer, enhancing consumer experiences while achieving notable carbon reductions.

These innovations are part of Qingdao Beer’s robust green production innovation system. Throughout its journey towards social value, the brewery has consistently assumed a leadership role in promoting sustainable practices, emphasizing green, low-carbon, high-quality development. Qingdao Beer has established 22 national-level green factories, setting the benchmark within the industry. Additionally, it actively works to strengthen its position in the supply chain by utilizing low-carbon packaging materials and transportation methods, encouraging greener transformations across its glass bottle, can, and carton supply chains. The company has also launched a pioneering domestic wastewater value-sharing project, creating a circular economy model that fosters collaboration among stakeholders to reduce pollution and carbon emissions.

Innovation is vital for the vitality of enterprises, and transformation within industries springs from such innovation. Qingdao Beer’s recognition as a “Sustainable Lighthouse Factory” exemplifies its forward-thinking approach to leading industrial transformation through green production, alongside its practical efforts to forge a sustainable and responsible value chain and industrial ecosystem. This commitment serves as a model for the green, low-carbon, high-quality development of traditional industries.