Though the solar term Chushu — which marks the end of summer heat — has passed, the workshops at Guangdongof Weili remain busy, with ice cream machines, ice makers and draft beer coolers rolling off the production lines, destined for overseas markets.

The company's orders now extend to mid-October, with some hot sellers such as slush machines scheduled as far out as December.

Back in 2005, Weili had already begun exploring overseas markets for ice makers and ice cream machines, positioning itself early for Europe and the United States' heat-driven consumption and outdoor dining scenes. This year, summer heatwaves across many regions released pent-up demand, with sales jumping more than 80 percent year-on-year.

Behind the surge in orders lies a steady improvement in product competitiveness. Weili said it has focused on continuous innovation based on low noise, fast cooling, and adaptability to varied scenarios.

Production capacity is also picking up. Weili's newly built refrigeration facility went into operation this year, with an annual capacity of over 5 million units and per-worker hourly output rising about 30 percent.

Founded in 1980, the time-honored brand has seen its output value grow more than 26-fold over the past decade or so, from under 200 million yuan in 2008 to 5.5 billion yuan in 2025.