JINAN -- Chinese manufacturing giant Nanshan Group aims to make its production and management smarter via partnership with domestic digitalization solutions provider Inspur Group.

The two companies have inked a project cooperation agreement on intelligent manufacturing and big data application to speed up Nanshan's industrial upgrading, according to a statement from Nanshan.

The intelligent manufacturing platform will enable the Shandong-based company to digitally monitor and control the production process, optimizing production and improving efficiency, and helping improve decision-making and product quality with big data.

Nanshan is in the mist of the shift from a traditional manufacturer to an intelligent company, Nanshan Group executive director Cheng Rence said, adding that it was necessary to promote the industrial Internet and smart manufacturing in the group's operations.

Located in Longkou, a coastal city in east China's Yantai, Nanshan Group is a private conglomerate known for its high-end aluminum and textile businesses and has expanded into finance, health, tourism, aviation and property in recent years.

The Chinese government has been encouraging traditional manufacturers to upgrade their products and services by integrating with digital technologies in its bid to promote economic transition.