China's biggest malleable iron production center Taigu County in Shanxi Province achieved 31 million US dollar export turnover last year, a record high.

Located in north China's Shanxi Province, Taigu possesses 126 malleable iron companies. It produced more than 300,000 tons of malleable iron in 2004, accounting for one quarter of China's total, said an official with the local government.

The official said the companies invested more than 18 million yuan (about 2.2 million US dollars) in tackling pollution last year and spent about 100 million yuan (about 12 million US dollars) in developing their new products.

A comprehensive production structure has taken shape in the malleable iron center and the companies are turning from labor-intensive types to technology-intensive one, the official said.