A case study of industrial symbiosis: Nanning Sugar Co., Ltd. in China

Industrial symbiosis activities are being implemented in the philosophy of “circular economy” in China. Integrating industrial symbiosis into the corporate development plans to optimize materials and energy flows is a feasible strategy for many corporations in their transition between nonsustainable and sustainable development. By constructing industrial ecosystems, Nanning Sugar Co., Ltd. in China, has achieved the successful transition from a traditional corporation to a sustainable corporation, or rather, a circular corporation. This study expounds on its whole transition course to a circular complex in the past decade, in which four factors are essential to making this symbiosis achievable: rational production structures; raw materials advantages; technical supports and correct diversification. The corporation is in charge of almost all the aspects of its affiliated companies and the management mode, in particular, differing from that of industrial symbiosis systems in Kalundborg, is considered another potential factor contributing to the corporate success. The transition mode in question is hoped to point to a feasible development path for similar corporations.