Key tobacco manufacturer inaugurates new subsidiary in north China

Source from:  Shijiazhuang Daily newspaper 12/10/2008

Changsha Cigarette Factory of Hunan Provincial China Tobacco Industry Corporation in south central China's Hunan Province - producer of the famous Baisha brand cigarettes - has recently inaugurated its subsidiary known as Hebei Baisha Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory in Shijiazhuang City of north China's Hebei Province. At a grand ceremony held on December 5, the nameplate of Hebei Baisha Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory was unveiled. The dignitaries present at the inaugural ceremony were Deputy Director-General Li Keming of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) and top leaders of Hebei Province and Shijiazhuang City. Hebei Baisha Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory was established on the basis of technical transformation and relocation of the former Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory, which Baisha Group - the predecessor of Changsha Cigarette Factory of Hunan Provincial China Tobacco Industry Corporation - acquired a few years ago. The project of technical transformation and relocation was a priority development project listed by the STMA, Hebei Province and Shijiazhuang City. With a total investment of nearly 1 billion yuan (143 million U.S. dollars), the project is based in the East Development Zone of Shijiazhuang City, and covers a total area of 520 mu (35 hectares), with the total construction area reaching 215,000 square meters. The newly established Hebei Baisha Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory has a designed annual cigarette production capacity of 500,000 cases (25 billion cigarettes). The project of technical transformation included the installation of a new 8,000 kg/h leaf tobacco cutting line, and the construction of new joint workshop buildings, a technology research office building, a power center, a comprehensive service building, storages and other infrastructure facilities. The cornerstone for the project was laid on December 5, 2005. The construction of the whole project was completed on December 5, 2008. This development means that Hebei Baisha Shijiazhuang Cigarette Factory has reached a new level in terms of the annual production capacity, management and technical equipment. Enditem