How a traditional coal mining company upgrades through AI and intelligent manufacturing
From the foot of Helan Mountain to the world
Editor's Note:
The year 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). It is also a pivotal turning point for China's manufacturing sector, as it moves from being "large" to becoming "strong" amid the dual imperatives of technological innovation and the "dual carbon" goals. Accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and leading the development of new quality productive forces, are increasingly becoming important directions for transformation and upgrading across industries. Under this trend, Chinese coal mining equipment enterprises are actively pursuing industrial transformation and accelerating their shift toward intelligent manufacturing centered on smart technologies. At the foot of Helan Mountain in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co, a subsidiary of China Coal Technology and Engineering Group (CCTEG), has just entered its sixth decade. It is also a representative example of transformation in the coal machinery industry.
Industrial upgrading
The predecessor of Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co was a coal mining machinery factory established in 1966 in Shizuishan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. At that time, China was in a critical period of the "Third Front Construction," a massive industrial relocation effort in the 1960s and 70s, during which a large number of key enterprises were relocated to and established in the central and western regions. Northwest Coal Mining Machinery Factory No. 1 emerged in this context and became an important pillar of China's coal industry equipment system.
The company underwent pivotal restructurings in 1998 and 2006, eventually becoming a subsidiary of China Coal Technology and Engineering Group (CCTEG). This marked a profound strategic shift from a single equipment manufacturer to an intelligent coal machinery and equipment service provider.
Through relentless innovation, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co has repeatedly shattered industry records. In 2011, it developed China's first complete conveying equipment set for 12-million-ton-per-year fully mechanized mining faces, bringing domestic technology to an internationally advanced level. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2020-25), the company invested over 700 million yuan ($103 million) to establish a high-end digital manufacturing base in Ningxia, deploying 34 intelligent production lines, 262 high-precision machine tools, and 55 industrial robots. In 2023, the company achieved another historic milestone with its 10-meter ultra-high cutting height face scraper conveyor system, setting a new world record for coal seam mining height.
The company now supplies major coal-producing regions across China while exporting to Russia, Turkey, and beyond, making it a leading enterprise in China's coal machinery industry.
AI-powered technological innovation
In the era of rapid artificial intelligence (AI) development, China's coal machinery industry is undergoing a profound transformation from "traditional manufacturing" to "intelligent production." Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co has actively applied AI technologies to achieve innovative development and has built full-chain capabilities ranging from intelligent control to remote operations and maintenance.
In 2024, the company developed a mining embedded condition monitoring device that combines edge computing, wireless data collection and a remote maintenance platform to enable comprehensive multi-signal monitoring of key components. By applying AI algorithms, the system can accurately assess equipment health while also supporting intelligent functions such as automatic chain tensioning and automatic lubrication. These technologies have already delivered strong results in several coal mines of the coal mining state-owned enterprise Yankuang Energy Group. In the same year, the company's working-face intelligent scraper conveyor innovation team was selected as one of China's mining technology excellence awards, highlighting its technological leadership and industry contribution.
In 2025, the company launched the remote operation and maintenance service system for scraper conveyor equipment (the SOS after-sales service management system), marking a leap forward in the company's intelligent operation and maintenance services. This system establishes a closed loop of data perception, intelligent diagnosis and decision execution through six functional modules and more than 70 diagnostic models.
From the early application of automation control technologies to today's deep integration of AI, big data, and Internet-of-things technologies, it has gradually enabled scraper conveyor equipment to evolve from mechanical operation to intelligent perception, autonomous decision-making, and remote operation and maintenance.
As China advances its "dual carbon" goals and the coal industry enters a new phase of structural adjustment, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co is accelerating its transition toward a greener and more intelligent future. The company said the 15th Five-Year Plan period will be a critical window for building new quality productive forces and driving transformation after six decades of development.
To support national carbon-reduction targets, it has steadily promoted energy-saving and low-carbon technologies in coal mining equipment. In 2023, the company jointly established Benniu Remanufacturing Co with Shandong Energy Equipment Manufacturing Group to expand the circular use of retired equipment. At the same time, the firm has deepened lean management across research, development, and manufacturing, introducing 6S workplace standards and lean production methods. It has also implemented ERP, MES and other digital systems, creating a full-chain digital operation model covering R&D, production, supply chain, marketing and services.
Shi Tao, the firm's deputy general manager, told the Global Times that the company will continue to focus on making its products more intelligent and greener, including scraper conveyors, reducers, mining chains, coal mining remanufacturing equipment and hydraulic supports.
"We aim to build a world-class enterprise with distinctive specialization, strong technological advantages, a complete industrial chain and industry-leading influence," Shi said, adding that by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the company hopes to achieve substantial improvements in innovation, market expansion, management and risk control, while further contributing to China's carbon-neutral transition.
The year 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). It is also a pivotal turning point for China's manufacturing sector, as it moves from being "large" to becoming "strong" amid the dual imperatives of technological innovation and the "dual carbon" goals. Accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and leading the development of new quality productive forces, are increasingly becoming important directions for transformation and upgrading across industries. Under this trend, Chinese coal mining equipment enterprises are actively pursuing industrial transformation and accelerating their shift toward intelligent manufacturing centered on smart technologies. At the foot of Helan Mountain in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co, a subsidiary of China Coal Technology and Engineering Group (CCTEG), has just entered its sixth decade. It is also a representative example of transformation in the coal machinery industry.
A view of the office building of Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co File photo: Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co
Recently, Global Times reporters visited the company to explore how this veteran state-owned enterprise has remained resilient for nearly 60 years. By repeatedly overcoming technical challenges and setting new coal-mining records, it has grown from a "Third Front" factory (a facility established under China's 1960s strategic industrial relocation program) in a remote corner of Northwest China into a national benchmark enterprise leading the intelligent development of China's coal machinery and equipment sector.Industrial upgrading
The predecessor of Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co was a coal mining machinery factory established in 1966 in Shizuishan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. At that time, China was in a critical period of the "Third Front Construction," a massive industrial relocation effort in the 1960s and 70s, during which a large number of key enterprises were relocated to and established in the central and western regions. Northwest Coal Mining Machinery Factory No. 1 emerged in this context and became an important pillar of China's coal industry equipment system.
The company underwent pivotal restructurings in 1998 and 2006, eventually becoming a subsidiary of China Coal Technology and Engineering Group (CCTEG). This marked a profound strategic shift from a single equipment manufacturer to an intelligent coal machinery and equipment service provider.
Through relentless innovation, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co has repeatedly shattered industry records. In 2011, it developed China's first complete conveying equipment set for 12-million-ton-per-year fully mechanized mining faces, bringing domestic technology to an internationally advanced level. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2020-25), the company invested over 700 million yuan ($103 million) to establish a high-end digital manufacturing base in Ningxia, deploying 34 intelligent production lines, 262 high-precision machine tools, and 55 industrial robots. In 2023, the company achieved another historic milestone with its 10-meter ultra-high cutting height face scraper conveyor system, setting a new world record for coal seam mining height.
The company now supplies major coal-producing regions across China while exporting to Russia, Turkey, and beyond, making it a leading enterprise in China's coal machinery industry.
AI-powered technological innovation
In the era of rapid artificial intelligence (AI) development, China's coal machinery industry is undergoing a profound transformation from "traditional manufacturing" to "intelligent production." Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co has actively applied AI technologies to achieve innovative development and has built full-chain capabilities ranging from intelligent control to remote operations and maintenance.
In 2024, the company developed a mining embedded condition monitoring device that combines edge computing, wireless data collection and a remote maintenance platform to enable comprehensive multi-signal monitoring of key components. By applying AI algorithms, the system can accurately assess equipment health while also supporting intelligent functions such as automatic chain tensioning and automatic lubrication. These technologies have already delivered strong results in several coal mines of the coal mining state-owned enterprise Yankuang Energy Group. In the same year, the company's working-face intelligent scraper conveyor innovation team was selected as one of China's mining technology excellence awards, highlighting its technological leadership and industry contribution.
In 2025, the company launched the remote operation and maintenance service system for scraper conveyor equipment (the SOS after-sales service management system), marking a leap forward in the company's intelligent operation and maintenance services. This system establishes a closed loop of data perception, intelligent diagnosis and decision execution through six functional modules and more than 70 diagnostic models.
From the early application of automation control technologies to today's deep integration of AI, big data, and Internet-of-things technologies, it has gradually enabled scraper conveyor equipment to evolve from mechanical operation to intelligent perception, autonomous decision-making, and remote operation and maintenance.
A 10-meter ultra-high cutting height face scraper conveyor system developed by Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co File photo: Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co
Embracing a greener futureAs China advances its "dual carbon" goals and the coal industry enters a new phase of structural adjustment, Ningxia Tiandi Benniu Industrial Group Co is accelerating its transition toward a greener and more intelligent future. The company said the 15th Five-Year Plan period will be a critical window for building new quality productive forces and driving transformation after six decades of development.
To support national carbon-reduction targets, it has steadily promoted energy-saving and low-carbon technologies in coal mining equipment. In 2023, the company jointly established Benniu Remanufacturing Co with Shandong Energy Equipment Manufacturing Group to expand the circular use of retired equipment. At the same time, the firm has deepened lean management across research, development, and manufacturing, introducing 6S workplace standards and lean production methods. It has also implemented ERP, MES and other digital systems, creating a full-chain digital operation model covering R&D, production, supply chain, marketing and services.
Shi Tao, the firm's deputy general manager, told the Global Times that the company will continue to focus on making its products more intelligent and greener, including scraper conveyors, reducers, mining chains, coal mining remanufacturing equipment and hydraulic supports.
"We aim to build a world-class enterprise with distinctive specialization, strong technological advantages, a complete industrial chain and industry-leading influence," Shi said, adding that by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the company hopes to achieve substantial improvements in innovation, market expansion, management and risk control, while further contributing to China's carbon-neutral transition.
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