Fengxian rises as fertile ground for foreign investment Time：2025-03-07
Shanghai's Fengxian district, which is dedicated to fostering an open, inclusive, and efficient business environment with full-life-cycle services for local enterprises, is a top destination for foreign investment.
The district tallied 579,000 private enterprises at the end of 2024, while being home to many foreign-funded enterprises.
US-based Melaleuca, a wellness company offering products for health, home, and personal care, set up operations in Fengxian in 2003 — it testifies to the district's continuously improving business environment.
With an investment of $150 million, the company built its largest overseas regional headquarters and daily use chemical production base here in 2019. Its smart factory is not only its largest and most technologically advanced headquarters park outside the US, but also the strategic core of its businesses in China and the broader Asia-Pacific market.
Melaleuca CEO Jerry Felton lauded the "Fengxian speed" that he has never witnessed anywhere else. The company received five certificates, including a land use permit, a real estate ownership certificate, and a design plan approval, for its Chinese headquarters at Shanghai Fengpu Industrial Park within 24 hours of signing the project transfer contract.
Its smart factory now hosts 21 automated production lines and storage and logistics centers, dispatching up to 3,000 packages daily to global markets. This high efficiency has further boosted its confidence in investing in Fengxian.
In addition, Germany-based igus, a manufacturer of motion plastics, benefited from optimized approval procedures for an expansion project in the district. Japanese precision machinery components maker Misumi swiftly restored its dishonesty record under meticulous guidance.
The district has launched an innovative "breakfast meeting" mechanism for face-to-face exchanges between authorities and enterprises, ensuring the prompt resolution of issues facing local businesses.