Milestone for China's Manhole Cover Industry: Hubei Luzhongbao Pioneers Mass Production of F900-Grade Ultra-Heavy-Duty Covers
—Self-Developed Tech Breakthrough Breaks International Monopoly; Core Airport & Port Infrastructure Embraces Domestic Replacement
On-Site Report: Mass Production Begins
At the Honghu Xintan Economic Cooperation Zone in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, four fully automated casting production lines completed final debugging, and the first batch of F900-grade ductile iron manhole covers officially rolled off the line. With a single-unit load capacity exceeding 90 tons and certification to Europe’s highest EN124 standard, these covers meet extreme operational demands like airport runways and deep-water port terminals. "This marks China's leap from import dependence to independent mass production in the ultra-heavy-duty manhole cover sector," said Tian Tengfei, Technical Director of Hubei Luzhongbao, holding the test report. Embedded smart sensors monitor real-time displacement and water level data, providing infrastructure support for smart cities.
Tech Breakthrough: A Decade of Patents Culminates in Industry Leadership
Luzhongbao’s breakthrough stems from systematic R&D:
Material Innovation: Special alloy formulations and graded heat treatment technology resolve the challenge of balancing ultra-high strength with fatigue resistance. Lab tests show the product withstands 100-ton static loads, far exceeding F900 standards.
Structural Optimization: Adopting a wide-flange spigot-and-socket structure, informed by experience from the Huangshi municipal project (won in 2023 at US$155/set, RMB 1,130/set), disperses vehicle impact force 40% more efficiently, significantly reducing settlement risk.
Industry Impact: Billion-Dollar Market Opportunity Under New National Standard
The 2024 Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development’s updated Urban Manhole Cover Safety Technical Code mandates higher load grades for covers in transport hubs and logistics parks, spurring demand for ultra-heavy-duty covers. Luzhongbao’s mass production addresses three critical needs:
Safety Upgrade: 90-ton capacity withstands extreme loads like aircraft landing gear and port cranes.
Cost Optimization: Domestic production cuts procurement costs by 40%, accelerating adoption of high-standard covers.
Smart IoT: Built-in sensors enable digital management of urban underground pipe networks.
Sunlight glints off the rooftop solar panels at the Honghu production base as robotic arms pack F900 covers onto trucks. This batch is destined for the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Phase III expansion—Luzhongbao has already secured a spot on Guangzhou Water’s qualified supplier list for manhole cover procurement.
"The next-gen product meeting EN1433 standards has already passed 120-ton load testing in our lab," Tian Tengfei revealed, looking towards the testing center. "We are redefining the performance benchmarks for Chinese manhole covers."