The animation film Ne Zha 2 has been a massive success in China, grossing over 12.2 billion RMB. Not only has it set box office records, but its associated merchandise has also sparked an unprecedented demand. Items like cute miniature figures, badges, blind boxes, and collectible cards have sold out almost instantly.
Dongguan, the "Capital of Art Toys in China", has garnered attention from both domestic and international media, including CCTV and TVB. Local manufacturers are ramping up production to keep pace with the thirst for Ne Zha merchandise.
A shining example is Wo Works (沃工场), a Dongguan-based company that has seen orders soar. Since the beginning of the year, the company has received orders worth over 100 million RMB, 500 times greater than their typical output. Their factory in Shipai Town is running at full speed, combining advanced machinery with skilled labor to produce over 1 million parts per day, achieving a 95% product quality rate.
Beyond its manufacturing capabilities, Dongguan's success in the art toy industry also stems from its vibrant, well-supported industry ecosystem. The city's government has been instrumental in providing resources and fostering collaboration.
In Shipai, over 4,000 toy companies create an ecosystem that allows for rapid design, prototyping, production, and sales. Local businesses can access a "one-hour industrial circle," where all stages of the production chain, including design, sampling, production, and distribution, are completed within a short radius.
Earlier, to meet tight delivery deadlines, Sun Wenke, CEO of Wo Works, mobilized over 2,000 workers from supply chain partners and accelerated the assembly of new equipment. "With just a few calls, our partner factories answered the call without hesitation. Whether we needed extra hands or machinery, everything was arranged instantly. That's the kind of seamless collaboration you'll only find in Dongguan's manufacturing ecosystem," Sun remarked.
The city is also planning to expand its capabilities by building a cutting-edge design center powered by AI. This facility will enable designers to quickly turn ideas into reality, improving the time-to-market by up to 20 days.
By leveraging China's rich cultural heritage and combining it with high-tech manufacturing processes, Dongguan is poised to lead the global art toy industry, continuing to attract attention from both domestic and international markets.
