The key lies in bamboo's natural fiber structure, Lei explained. "It has high tensile strength and excellent flexibility, making it suitable for applications that require both rigidity and shock absorption."

　　Truck flooring must withstand constant loading and unloading, vibrations during transport, and exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations, he said. The company's high-density boards, produced from the raw materials sourced from the region's bamboo forests, hold up well under these conditions.

　　Now, the boards produced by Yiou are sold to clients in the US, Japan, and Europe, and are used in commercial vehicles, including heavy trucks from Mercedes-Benz and DHL's refrigerated vans, Lei said. A cubic meter of these boards sells for 8,000 to 10,000 yuan, more than ten times the value of the raw materials used to make them.

　　For the farmers in the Xuefeng Mountain region, the development of more local high-end processing companies has provided new opportunities. As major buyers compete in the market, the price of raw bamboo has risen from around 400 yuan to 600 yuan per ton, according to Hu from Huaihua's forestry bureau.

　　"Farmers were thrilled with the rising price of bamboo," Hu said. "They are now more motivated to manage the forests and cultivate bamboo for better quality."

　　The bamboo industry's growth has been a game changer for rural incomes. The city's bamboo industry output exceeded 6 billion yuan in 2025, nearly double the figure for 2023. According to local authorities, more than 100,000 bamboo farmers across the region have seen their incomes rise, not only from selling raw bamboo but also from new jobs in processing, transport, and forest management.

　　Yan An and Zheng Chenxiao contributed to this story.

　　Contact the writers at limuyun@chinadaily.com.cn