Local factory exports tiny steel balls to global markets
2026-07-14 19:07:03
By Zhou Chunyi.
Production is ramping up at Yichang Pearl Steel Ball Co., Ltd. to fulfill a precision steel ball order for a Japanese client. The millimeter-sized steel balls undergo more than a dozen production steps, including wire drawing, cold heading, grinding, and quenching, before being shipped overseas.
Production is ramping up at Yichang Pearl Steel Ball Co., Ltd. to fulfill a precision steel ball order for a Japanese client. The millimeter-sized steel balls undergo more than a dozen production steps, including wire drawing, cold heading, grinding, and quenching, before being shipped overseas.
Yichang Pearl Steel Ball Co., Ltd. Photo by Zhao Jingyi and Zhou Chengxin.
Founded in 1992, the company is one of the earliest Taiwanese-invested enterprises in Yichang and was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise in 2025.
Though small in size, these steel balls are critical components in mechanical systems used in aircraft, trains, automobiles, bicycles, furniture hardware, and electronic devices. The company offers a full range of steel balls from 1.588 mm to 40 mm in diameter, serving a wide range of industrial applications.
Though small in size, these steel balls are critical components in mechanical systems used in aircraft, trains, automobiles, bicycles, furniture hardware, and electronic devices. The company offers a full range of steel balls from 1.588 mm to 40 mm in diameter, serving a wide range of industrial applications.
Steel balls produced by Yichang Pearl Steel Ball Co., Ltd. Photo by Zhao Jingyi and Zhou Chengxin.
The company has introduced advanced digitally controlled high-speed cold heading machines and ultra-precision grinding systems. According to Deputy General Manager Han Ling, the new equipment operates four times faster than conventional machines, with a finished-product pass rate of 99 percent.
Over 70 percent of the company’s products are exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, and Japan. In 2025, the company reported an annual output value of 30 million yuan (US$4.42 million) and export revenue of US$2.6 million. In the first half of 2026, order intake reached 16 million yuan, indicating strong growth momentum.
Over 70 percent of the company’s products are exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, and Japan. In 2025, the company reported an annual output value of 30 million yuan (US$4.42 million) and export revenue of US$2.6 million. In the first half of 2026, order intake reached 16 million yuan, indicating strong growth momentum.
