KENTEN China Brings “National Games Warmth” with Technology | Guarding the National Games, Witnessing Tech at the Frontline

In the late autumn of 2001, the Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou was ablaze with lights. On the competition field of the 9th National Games, the shouts of athletes and the cheers of spectators merged into a wave of enthusiasm.

Today, 24 years later, the wind along the Pearl River has blown towards the 15th National Games. KENTEN China, which was just starting out back then, has now become the only temporary facility enterprise in China that has served both “two Asian Games and two Olympic Games” (Asian Games and Olympic Games).

The “Invisible Project” Behind the Events

In large-scale sports events, the spotlight often focuses on permanent venues, while temporary facilities, as an important part of event operation, are often overlooked. In fact, these facilities—including temporary stands, tents, award podiums, and security check channels—that are “built during the event and dismantled after the event” form the basic framework for the smooth operation of the event.

Temporary facilities have been widely used in large-scale international events. For the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, more than 200,000 square meters of aluminum alloy tents were set up; the 974 Stadium for the 2022 Qatar World Cup was built with 974 recycled shipping containers, becoming the first detachable stadium in World Cup history; in North America, temporary stands, tents, and scaffolding are commonly seen in events such as golf and Formula 1.

As one of the first “Urban Partner” enterprises in Guangzhou, KENTEN China has become the main supplier of temporary facilities for the 15th National Games.

From “Manpower-Intensive Model” to Technology-Driven

KENTEN China development path has kept pace with the growth of China’s sports event industry.

Since in 2001, KENTEN China has successively served large-scale domestic and international sports projects such as the 9th National Games, the Beijing Olympic Games, the Guangzhou Asian Games, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games, and North American Formula 1 events, gradually establishing its leading position in the field of sports temporary facilities.

“During the 9th National Games, we relied more on the ‘manpower-intensive model’,” Chen Guangwen recalled. “Now, we have more than 30 patents and have become a national high-tech enterprise.”

Technological upgrading has brought about a qualitative change in service capabilities. During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the tents developed by Kenten withstood the low-temperature test of minus 25 degrees Celsius and successfully resisted the heavy snow in Chongli; for the 15th National Games, they have further introduced intelligent technologies and adopted environmentally friendly and recyclable materials. All facilities meet national green building standards and can be quickly disassembled and reused after the event.

Warmth in the Details

Despite continuous technological advancements, Kenten China remains committed to a “people-oriented” philosophy.

Chen Guangwen, Sports Director of Kenten China, mentioned that, for example, during the National Games, staff wrapped their hands in cloth to prevent the podium from slipping when moving it.

“Technology for good, ultimately serving people,” he said. The design of the temporary venues for the 15th National Games, from the convenience of security checks and the comfort of seating to the design of the podium, all reflected a focus on user experience.

The Mission of an “Urban Partner”

In the view of Mao Zairong, CEO of KENTEN, the company’s role is not only an event service provider but also an “Urban Partner”: “Events will come to an end, but cities are always growing. Our mission is to ensure that temporary facilities have the quality of permanent facilities.”

From the 9th National Games, where iron frames were carried on shoulders, to the 15th National Games, where the company holds multiple patented technologies, Kenten has spent 25 years witnessing and partici

Reporter: Sun Qiman, Guangzhou Yangcheng Evening News