(Yicai Global) April 22 -- Several workshops at Shanghai-based Baoshan Iron & Steel have hit production peaks amid the city's lockdown, thanks to closed-loop systems, overtime, and robots.

Several workshops have exceeded their targets and even set new records for monthly production as more than 10,000 employees or about one-third of the total of the state-owned iron and steel company's Shanghai plant have continued working during the eastern city's more than three weeks of phased lockdowns by sleeping in the facility and avoiding close contacts outside the factory, Yicai Global learned.

The dizzying pace is explained by overtime. "Since mid-late March, I started working overtime, more than 10 hours a day," Wang Hongyu, a staff member, said to Yicai Global with a hoarse voice caused by exhaustion.

Wang Sleeps in a Tent After Work

The department that produces on-oriented electrical steel, used in new energy vehicles, has established a team of 152 people who work in shifts around the clock and reached a new output record.

Robot Paul Chips in Amid Labor Shortage During Lockdown

Besides workers' efforts, industrial robots also play a big role. Currently, 920 robots have freed up more than 2,800 workers from repetitive and heavy chores and many production lines have achieved unmanned operations. Baosteel started using robots in various duties in 2019.

The factory has adopted digital technologies to keep workers and production safe amid the pandemic. Baosteel has launched a WeChat mini-program to help employees track their movements as well as close contacts by scanning QR codes in the plant.

Staff Can Scan QR Codes to Keep Track of Contacts

Baosteel is one of the first key enterprises in Shanghai that were allowed to resume operations amid the latest wave of the pandemic while the company is preparing to call more staff to work. However, logistics and downstream operations are problematic as a big number of steel plates are waiting to be picked up in the firm's warehouses.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi