For fitness equipment makers in Ningjin, an inland county in Dezhou, East China's Shandong province, the next stage of going global is taking shape through homegrown brands, smart technologies and customized products, as local manufacturers seek a bigger role in the global fitness industry.

That shift is becoming increasingly visible on factory floors across Ningjin, where established manufacturers are stepping up innovation and newer entrants are finding room to grow by targeting different overseas markets.

Three out of every 10 commercial fitness machines sold worldwide are made in Ningjin, the result of a decades-long transformation from a traditional metalworking base into a global fitness equipment manufacturing hub, according to local government data.

Liu Xinli, president of MBH Fitness Co Ltd, a Ningjin-based fitness equipment manufacturer, said his company has stayed away from original equipment manufacturing, or OEM, over the years, as contract manufacturing typically offers thin profit margins.