Baotou-based steel giant Baotou Iron and Steel Group (Baogang Group) is ramping up efforts to expand its thriving business operations in a greener way, according to local media reports.

The group has been selected as one of the first batch of industrial product green design demonstration enterprises, according to a list recently released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

A total of 61 domestic companies were on the list, including two Inner Mongolia-based enterprises.

Established in 1954 and based in Baotou city in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Baogang Group is the largest steel company based in the region.

It is one of the oldest iron and steel manufacturers in China and has a major plant located in Baotou. It is also the country’s biggest scientific research and production center for rare earth metals.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology requires demonstration enterprises to effectively play a lead role.

It wants them to continuously strengthen their green design innovation and development capabilities and management levels, while continuing to improve their green product supply capacity and market influence.