en.Wedoany.com Reported - On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, Xi'an Xigu Optical Communication Co., Ltd. has delivered a remarkable leapfrog performance: its optical fiber and cable production capacity has surged from the previous 1-2 million core kilometers to easily exceeding 10 million core kilometers; the company has built a national-level 5G fully connected factory, and holds the top market share in Northwest China's rail transit and power specialty optical cable segments. Recently, General Manager Si Zhengzhong gave an exclusive interview in Xi'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone, reviewing the 40-year journey of one of China's earliest optical communication enterprises.
In 1986, Furukawa Electric and Xi'an Cable Factory jointly established Xigu Optical Communications, producing China's first optical cable that same year. However, as a foreign-dominated joint venture, the company failed to fully benefit from the dividends of China's 2G, 3G, and even 4G network construction, with its development pace once lagging behind the industry average. Si Zhengzhong stated that early constraints from the investment strategy of Japanese shareholder Furukawa Electric caused the company to miss the golden period of rapid communication development.
The turning point came in 2011 when Hengtong Group acquired a stake in Xigu Optical Communications, becoming the second-largest shareholder with a 46% stake. Subsequently, the company's optical fiber and cable production capacity surged from the previous 1-2 million core kilometers to easily exceeding 10 million core kilometers, fully entering the operator centralized procurement market and consolidating its advantages in niche segments such as railways and rail transit. Si Zhengzhong pointed out that since 2015, the company's scale and brand influence have both significantly improved.
In terms of digital and intelligent transformation, Xigu Optical Communications has built new computer rooms in its workshops, deployed dedicated servers, and collected production data for centralized management and real-time monitoring. The company plans to leverage large models and deep learning technologies to integrate data with process parameters and cost reports, reverse-guiding production optimization and even achieving automatic adjustment of process parameters. Si Zhengzhong emphasized that digitalization must not be superficial; data must be applied to actual operations. Currently, the company's System Integration Business Division has developed solutions such as digital factories, digital twins, and intelligent agents, becoming a new growth driver.
Facing cyclical fluctuations in operator centralized procurement, Xigu Optical Communications has intensified its development of non-operator markets. Si Zhengzhong has positioned the highway market as a key new direction, launching integrated solutions that combine sensing optical cables, monitoring equipment, and digital twin visualization platforms; simultaneously, the company aligns with the national "15th Five-Year Plan" oil and gas pipeline network renovation strategy, having already made initial deployments in a gas project. The company aims to transform from a single optical cable product supplier into a comprehensive solution service provider.
Standing at a new starting point, Si Zhengzhong stated that while stabilizing its core business, the company will continue to explore new directions. He believes that the optical fiber and cable industry is currently ushering in a new round of growth, driven by international demand from North American supercomputing centers and the structural upgrade of domestic traditional production capacity towards high-value optical fibers.
