Xinhua News Agency, Hohhot, June 1 (Reporters Zhang Lina, Wang Jing, En Hao) Although cat litter has been exported to more than 100 countries and regions, the goal of Ningcheng County in Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the largest bentonite cat litter production base in the country, is not limited to this. By standardizing industry order, focusing on personalized products, extending and strengthening the supply chain, and targeting the pet economy, Ningcheng County is continuously expanding the cat litter market, marching towards becoming the "world factory" for cat litter.

This is a photo taken on October 9, 2023, of the Zhongjing Industrial Park in Ningcheng County, where cat litter companies are mainly located. Xinhua News Agency. In recent years, the cat owner demographic has begun to show characteristics of being younger, more educated, and from the white-collar class. "Taking the user group of the Chinese cat litter market as an example, the main user group has shifted from those born in the 70s and 80s to those born in the 85s to 95s. At the same time, online consumption of cat litter is growing faster and faster," said Wang Xiaojie, adding that using old maps will not find new continents, and the cat litter industry must meet the diverse and personalized consumption needs of consumers.

Ningcheng County's cat litter industry has keenly "sensed" the new characteristics and demands of the cat owner demographic, and is currently focusing on targeted production. Zhang Haixuan, the county head of Ningcheng, said that by introducing advanced international production equipment and processes, Ningcheng's cat litter products have reached international standards in terms of adsorption performance, deodorization effect, and environmental protection. Companies are also continuously developing new varieties of cat litter and multiple screening processes to meet the needs of different cats and consumers.

On April 26, 2024, technicians from Chifeng Menghong New Materials Co., Ltd. were testing cat litter products. Xinhua News Agency. Zhang Haixuan cited Ningcheng Menghong New Materials Co., Ltd. as an example, stating that the company provides tailored product supply guarantees for cooperative enterprises around the world, capable of producing cat litter products in different shapes, colors, functions, and for different cat ages according to the needs of different cats. "In addition, by strengthening the research and development of high value-added products such as lightweight cat litter and water-soluble cat litter, and continuously expanding 'online + offline' sales channels, we aim to build a world-renowned brand for cat litter."

At the same time, the Ningcheng Cat Litter Industry Association has also reached strategic cooperation agreements with well-known enterprises and institutions, jointly committed to cat litter technology research and development, exploring overseas markets, and promoting online sales.

Entering the production workshop of Ningcheng Pet Love Products Co., Ltd., a refreshing fragrance greets you. The various fruit-flavored cat litter series products are complete, with multiple production lines running at full capacity, creating a busy scene. The production manager, Song Zhida, happily said: "Workers are rushing to complete a 300-ton cat litter order for Japan, and the products are in short supply." Currently, the environmentally friendly "fruit-flavored" cat litter produced in Ningcheng is very popular among cat owners both domestically and internationally, being sold daily through e-commerce and internet platforms to countries and regions such as South Korea and Japan.

Faced with the increasingly fierce competition in the cat litter market and the growing diverse demands, Ningcheng County insists on treating the cat litter industry as an important pillar of the county's industrial economic development. Fu Shouli, the deputy mayor of Chifeng City and the secretary of the Ningcheng County Party Committee, said that Ningcheng County will strengthen cooperation with research institutions such as Beijing University of Science and Technology and well-known enterprises, continuously promoting the integration of technology and resources among local cat litter companies, establishing the Ningcheng Bentonite Research and Testing Center, and jointly developing innovative, high-quality functional products. Ningcheng County is also accelerating the formulation of industry standards for "bentonite cat litter," aiming to enhance the public brand of "Ningcheng Cat Litter" globally and continuously improve product visibility.

On April 26, 2024, workers at Ningcheng Jinlong Bentonite Co., Ltd. were loading cat litter, preparing to ship it to Dalian Port. Xinhua News Agency. In addition, Ningcheng County is increasing its efforts to attract investment, creating five centers for raw material production, product research and development, processing, warehousing logistics, and market transactions in the cat litter industry. The local area is targeting the back end of the cat litter industry chain and the high end of the value chain, introducing and cultivating projects such as pet supplies, toys, clothing, and bedding, promoting the development of a complete industrial chain for the pet economy led by cat litter.

After more than 20 years, the cat litter industry in Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia has embarked on a high-quality development path characterized by "small individuals, large scale, large groups; small industry, large output value, long chains."

From small to large, from enterprises to industries, from industries to clusters, the special "it economy" business card of "China Ningcheng Cat Litter" has already reached the whole country and is stepping into the world, nurturing the healthy growth of cats worldwide and providing thoughtful services for pet lovers.