Originally established as Hunan Hengyang Songmu Industrial Park in April 2006, Hunan Hengyang Songmu Economic Development Zone was officially renamed in January 2013. With a planned area of 54.66 square kilometers and a current administrative area of 23.95 square kilometers, it is the seventh batch of provincial-level development zones approved nationally. The zone has been designated as a National Demonstration Zone for Circular Economy Transformation, a National High-tech Industrial Base, a Hunan Province Most Influential Industrial Park, a Pilot Zone for Integration of Informatization and Industrialization, and a Specialized Salt and Halogen Chemical Industry Base.

I Abundant Salt and Halogen Mineral Resources

The zone boasts proven rock salt reserves of 14 billion tons and exploitable mirabilite reserves of 440 million tons, making it the largest rock salt and mirabilite resource base in Hunan Province and the region south of the Yangtze River. Within a one-hour drive of the zone, detailed surveys have identified over 50 types of non-ferrous metal mineral resources, including lead-zinc, gold, silver, and pyrite. Additionally, non-metallic mineral resources such as flake kaolin (porcelain clay), albite, fluorite, quartz, and coal are exceptionally abundant in the surrounding area.

II Superior Three-dimensional Transportation Network

The development zone enjoys a strategic transportation advantage with National Highway 107 and the Hengda Expressway traversing its territory. Its main thoroughfare, Zhengyang North Road, provides direct access to the Hengda Expressway. The Hengshao-Huai Railway passes through the zone and includes a dedicated railway station. Additionally, the zone operates the Songmu Port Area, a 1,000-ton-class wharf with three berths, enabling it to fully leverage the Xiangjiang River’s Golden Waterway. Beyond this, Hengyang serves as a critical junction for multiple national expressways (e.g., Jingzhu, Hengkun, Tanxi, Hengyan, Hengyue, Henggui) and railways (e.g., Jingguang, Xianggui). The Hengyang Nanyue Airport, now operational, further enhances regional connectivity.

III Comprehensive Supporting Infrastructure

The zone has constructed 32 kilometers of arterial roads, including Shangni Road, Huagong Road, Songfeng Road, Jiangxia Avenue, Xin’an Road, and Jinyuan Road, forming a "three vertical and three horizontal" road network grid. Within the zone, there are 500,000 square meters of standardized factory buildings, 52,000 square meters of low-rent housing, and 185,000 square meters of public rental housing. Supporting facilities such as a water supply plant, sewage treatment plant, substation, natural gas pressure regulating station, and an electroplating center are fully equipped.

Ⅳ Development of Three Major Industrial Clusters

The district has achieved increasingly prominent results in cluster development of three pillar industries - new energy, new materials, and salt-chemical & fine chemical industries. To date, it has attracted 93 industrial projects with contracted investments exceeding 10 billion yuan and actual utilized capital over 6 billion yuan. The zone is now home to 80 enterprises, including 40 operational large-scale enterprises.

Firstly, giving priority to the development of the new energy industry. Over 10 enterprises such as Ruida Power Supply, Dianke Power Supply, Xinsheng New Energy, and Lion Power have been introduced, forming three major sectors: energy storage, solar energy, and bioenergy.

Secondly, fostering the development of the new materials industry. More than 20 enterprises including AVIC Group, Jinshan Cement, Zhiyuan New Materials, and Lingyun Special Materials have settled in the zone.

Thirdly, enhancing the development of the salt chemical industry. Hengyang Kingboard Chemical, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong and Singapore-listed Kingboard Chemical Group, serves as the largest chemical production base in Central-South China and the flagship enterprise of the salt-chemical & fine chemical industry in Songmu Economic Development Zone. This industry leader has driven the development of over 30 downstream enterprises including Hengguang Chemical, Dali Chemical, Jinxuan Chemical, Junjie Chemical, Jianheng Industrial, and Lihong Chemical.

Ⅴ Distinctive Circular Economy Development

1. Extending Industrial Chains for Mutual Benefits

To address chlorine balance issues in byproduct management at Kingboard Chemical, the economic development zone has strategically introduced enterprises like Junjie Chemical, Jinxuan Chemical, and Dali Chemical through targeted investment initiatives. These companies utilize waste chlorine gas piped from Kingboard Chemical to produce chlorinated paraffin, ADC foaming agents, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The resulting byproduct, hydrogen chloride, is then sold back to Kingboard Chemical for PVC production. This closed-loop system eliminates the need for external high-cost chlorine procurement, significantly reducing operational expenses for downstream enterprises, while enabling Kingboard Chemical to monetize waste streams and cut disposal costs.

2. Advanced Technologies for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction

Hengguang Chemical employs cutting-edge processes to annually process 300,000 tons of tailings, producing 300,000 tons of sulfuric acid and 150,000 tons of iron concentrate. Through industrial pipeline networks, it also supplies 450,000 tons of waste heat steam to neighboring enterprises, equivalent to saving 80,000 tons of standard coal and reducing CO2 emissions by 160,000 tons annually.

3. Centralized Solid Waste Utilization Hub

Jinshan Company has established a regional "digestion center" that annually consumes over 1 million tons of industrial byproducts, including Kingboard Chemical’s carbide slag, Hengguang Chemical’s sulfuric acid residue, Jianheng Industrial’s alumina red mud, and shale from new construction sites. This integrated approach not only resolves pollution challenges from industrial waste but also lowers production costs for enterprises across Songmu Economic Development Zone and the broader Hengyang region.