Zhihu Yuanchuang Household Paper Project Set for October Production Start

The first phase of the Zhihu Yuanchuang household paper full-industry-chain project, a 13.7 billion yuan investment in Guigang, Guangxi, is accelerating toward its planned production start in October 2026.

Located in the Binjiang Industrial Park in Gangnan District, the project is a major integrated forestry, pulp and paper initiative supported by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Covering a planned area of approximately 2,106 mu, or about 147 hectares, the project is being developed in two phases.

The first phase is designed to produce 330,000 tonnes of bleached chemical wood pulp and 300,000 tonnes of household paper annually, supported by cogeneration, wastewater treatment and other green infrastructure.

Construction of the main plant structure has been completed, while core production equipment is being installed and commissioned. Water and electricity infrastructure is also being completed as the project enters its final construction and commissioning stage.

Building a full forestry-to-paper production chain

The Zhihu Yuanchuang project is designed to integrate the full production chain from wood pulp preparation and base paper production through household paper processing, packaging and logistics.

The integrated model is intended to establish a closed-loop “forest-pulp-paper-products” production system, moving Guigang's paper industry beyond individual processing stages toward a more comprehensive industrial chain.

Once fully completed and operating at designed capacity, the project is expected to achieve combined pulp and paper production capacity of approximately 1 million tonnes annually, with estimated annual output value exceeding 16 billion yuan.

The project is also expected to directly create more than 4,000 jobs and support the development of related sectors including forestry, transportation and logistics, packaging and printing.

Green and intelligent production

Environmental and resource-efficiency measures are being incorporated into the project, including intelligent production lines, water recycling and comprehensive utilization of solid waste.

Supporting cogeneration and wastewater treatment facilities are designed to accompany the expansion of production capacity while maintaining the project's focus on green and low-carbon development.

Strengthening Guigang's paper industry cluster

The project is a key component of Guigang's three-year industrial transformation and upgrading campaign and supports the city's development of a modern industrial system.

Modern paper manufacturing has been identified as one of the city's six core industrial clusters. The development also takes advantage of the logistics potential associated with the Pinglu Canal, as Guigang seeks to attract large-scale manufacturing projects and strengthen industrial links across the region.

With its first phase approaching production, the Zhihu Yuanchuang project is expected to strengthen Guigang's position as a modern paper industry cluster and contribute to the development of a household paper industry base serving Southwest China and ASEAN markets.