On March 15, construction was underway at the site of the Sinochem Tower project in the Start-up Area of Xiong’an New Area. Nicknamed the “Golden Reed,” the Sinochem Tower is supported by sixteen custom-designed concrete columns.

Standing tall like a golden reed in the core area of the Xiong’an Start-up Area, the Sinochem Tower commands attention.

“Each column of the tower is custom-made,” said Wang Zhi, project manager for the Sinochem Tower General Contracting Project at China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Ltd., as he gazed up at the 150-meter-tall structure.

On March 20, reporters visited the Sinochem Tower construction site.

But how do just sixteen columns support a 150-meter-high tower? The answer lies in the construction materials.

The sixteen octagonal columns are made of C60 self-compacting concrete, a high-strength concrete typically used in super high-rise buildings. This type of concrete features high compressive strength, excellent flowability, efficient and environmentally friendly application, low noise, and stable volume—making it ideal for complex structures and seismic-resilient projects. It not only solves challenges such as tight schedules and winter construction, but also enables the completion of 15,000 m³ of large-scale raft foundation concrete pouring within just 67 hours—filling a gap in the application of high-strength self-compacting concrete in the New Area.

This powerful concrete was produced by Hebei Xiong'an Rongxi Concrete Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the China Xiongan Construction & Investment Group Co., Ltd.—a product truly “Made in Xiong’an.”

So how is such high-quality concrete produced? Reporters visited Hebei Xiong'an Rongxi Concrete Co., Ltd. to find out.

At the vehicle entry point, an automatic sampling and testing system evaluates the moisture, clay content, and fines in each truckload of sand and gravel, minimizing human interference to ensure objective and accurate results. According to Chief Engineer Chu Yanan, high-quality concrete production must be controlled from the source. The company has achieved full-process intelligent production, with an integrated intelligent supervision platform monitoring every stage—from the entry of raw materials to the dispatch of each batch of concrete mix. All test and production data are recorded in a production management system, ensuring accurate mix proportioning down to liang.

“Green is the foundational color of Xiong’an,” said Tang Qiang, Director of the Industrial Operations Department at China Xiongan Construction & Investment Group Co., Ltd. “The concrete we provide is not just a mix of sand and gravel—it is a green, low-carbon, high-quality building material. It serves as the backbone of urban construction and as the foundational support for ‘Xiong’an Quality.’”