Inner Mongolia Hengtong Optical Materials Co started construction on the second phase of its project at the Dalad Economic Development Zone on April 10.

The second phase represents an investment of 400 million yuan (approximately $55 million) and is part of a three-phase development. It will apply mature, standardized technologies to produce optical fiber preforms and optical fibers. Key processes include OVD chemical vapor deposition, dehydration and purification, vitrification, precision machining, and fiber drawing, coating, and curing.

Once operational, the new phase will add 800 tons of high-end optical materials annually to the existing capacity of 600 tons from Phase One. When all three phases are complete, the facility is expected to achieve an annual output of 2,100 tons of high-end optical materials, 10 million kilometers of optical fiber, and 300 tons of semiconductor optical materials, generating an estimated annual output value of 1 billion yuan.