Cao Dewang Invests $1 Billion in Ohio, RMB 1 Billion in Suzhou in 2017; Suzhou Plant Profitable in 2019

In 2017, Fuyao Glass invested $1 billion to build a plant in Ohio, USA. At the same time, the board decided to invest another RMB 1 billion to build a plant in Suzhou. At the 2026 Suzhou Su Shang Conference, Cao Dewang stated that the plant in Suzhou's Xiangcheng District took only one year from groundbreaking to production and turned profitable in its first year in 2019.

In the first half of 2026, Suzhou's GDP reached RMB 1.3751 trillion, ranking sixth nationally. Suzhou has 59 companies listed on the STAR Market, third in the country, and is one of the cities with the largest industrial scale and the most complete supporting industries in China.

In the 1980s and 1990s, technical personnel from Shanghai research institutes and enterprises would travel to Suzhou's township enterprises on weekends to provide technical guidance, earning the nickname 'Sunday engineers.' In 1985, Wei Zuguo, an engineer from Shanghai Huaxin Cable Factory, was invited by Gu Yunkui, founder of Yongding Group, to guide cable production in Wujiang. He later witnessed Yongding Group become the first privately listed company in China's optical cable industry.

In 1991, Cui Genliang, a demobilized military officer, returned to Qidu Town in Wujiang, took over a farm machinery factory with RMB 1 million in debt, and converted it to produce communication cables, founding the Wujiang Qidu Communication Cable Factory, the predecessor of Hengtong Group. More than 30 years later, Hengtong Group has become one of the top three global optical fiber communication companies.

In 2017, Yu Hao, a member of Tsinghua University's 'Sky Workshop,' founded Dreame Technology in Suzhou. By 2025, Dreame Technology's revenue exceeded RMB 40 billion, with growth rates exceeding 100% for six consecutive years, and overseas revenue accounting for nearly 80% of total revenue.

In 2008, Liu Sheng, a PhD graduate from the United States, founded Suzhou Innolight in Suzhou International Science and Technology Park to develop optical modules. By 2025, Zhongji Innolight, Innolight's parent company, held approximately 23.4% of the global optical module market, ranking first globally for three consecutive years, with a market share of over 40% for 800G products. In April 2026, its market capitalization briefly exceeded RMB 1 trillion during trading.

In 1992, Taiwanese businessman Wu Ligan invested in Kunshan to build a factory, founding Wus Printed Circuit (the predecessor of Wus PCB), becoming the first Taiwanese-funded enterprise in Kunshan with an investment exceeding $30 million. By 2025, Wus PCB ranked first globally in two segments: AI server PCBs and PCBs with 22 layers or more, with a market capitalization of RMB 200 billion.

Suzhou-based Dongshan Precision started as a small sheet metal stamping factory in Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District. By 2025, it had acquired US optical module company Sorlight Technology and become one of the top three global PCB suppliers. According to industry research firm LightCounting, one out of every two high-speed optical modules used in AI data centers worldwide is produced in Suzhou.

In 1993, German company Kern-Liebers built a factory in Taicang to produce seatbelt springs. In 2001, Taicang introduced the German 'dual system' vocational education, and over the past two decades has trained more than 10,000 management and technical personnel. Taicang has now gathered over 560 German companies, accounting for one-tenth of all German-funded projects in China.

The Suzhou Industrial Park has cumulatively utilized over $44 billion in foreign investment, hosting more than 5,100 foreign-invested enterprises, with 110 Fortune Global 500 companies investing there. In 2025, the park's GDP reached RMB 416.3 billion, achieving a 'nine-peat' in the national-level economic development zone evaluation.