Latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics reveals that in the first quarter of this year, the value added of China's high-tech manufacturing sector increased by 12.5% year-on-year. Output of innovative products such as 3D printing equipment, lithium-ion batteries, and industrial robots surged by 54.0%, 40.8%, and 33.2% respectively, leading the manufacturing industry. Field interviews indicate that behind this explosive growth lies a deep integration of technological innovation and industrial application, effective transformation of technological breakthroughs into industrial competitiveness, and a virtuous cycle fostered by the synergy between policy support and market forces.
At the recent North American 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Exhibition in Boston, Atomic Reshape Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. showcased its desktop 3D printing "Personal Manufacturing New Ecosystem," attracting significant attention. Notably, this company, established just one year ago and having completed three rounds of financing, has a R&D team comprising over 60% of its staff and has already developed multiple innovative products, including an intelligent 12-nozzle system 3D printer.
"The current high growth of 3D printing equipment is not a temporary market trend but a significant indicator of the industry's transition from a niche tool to a mainstream creation platform," stated Shang Jigeng, Global President of Atomic Reshape. He explained that while 3D printing previously served mainly hobbyists and professional studios, improvements in product usability, integration of AI technology, and advancements in materials, content supply, and ecosystem development are accelerating its adoption in the broader consumer market.
"The proportion of new technologies, products, business forms, and models within manufacturing continues to rise, with new quality productive forces becoming a crucial engine for manufacturing growth," said Zhu Minghao, Executive Director of the China High-End Manufacturing Research Center at Beijing Jiaotong University. He noted that the pace of renewal in China's manufacturing is accelerating, coupled with an increasingly urgent demand for enterprise digital transformation. The significant effects of AI empowerment in manufacturing are directly driving steady growth in demand for innovative products like industrial robots.
At the production base of KUKA Robotics (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. in Foshan, orange robots assemble other robots on production lines in an orderly manner. This leading model of "robots manufacturing robots" enables the facility to produce one robot every 20 minutes, with an annual capacity exceeding 100,000 units. Fang Shengxiong, HR Business Partner Director of KUKA China, explained that through innovative breakthroughs in AI algorithms, precision motion control, and digital twin technologies, KUKA has built core advantages covering the entire product lifecycle, achieving closed-loop innovation from and back to the industry. "For example, at Midea's Jingzhou washing machine factory, recognized as the world's first intelligent agent factory, KUKA's solutions have enabled fully unmanned logistics and intelligent production, resulting in a 100% efficiency increase in the injection molding workshop, a 50% reduction in inspection time, and a 60% decrease in management workload," he added.
The explosive growth of lithium-ion batteries is closely tied to the alignment of policy and market dynamics. Wang Xiongbin, Marketing Director of Tangshan Guoxuan Battery Co., Ltd., reported that the company's first-quarter output increased by 46% compared to the same period. He attributed the substantial growth primarily to two factors: a surge in demand from domestic and international energy storage markets, and stable growth in shipments of power lithium batteries for new energy vehicles.
"In January this year, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued a notification improving the capacity pricing mechanism on the generation side, which, for the first time at the national institutional level, explicitly included grid-side independent new energy storage in the capacity pricing system. This has spurred rapid growth in grid-side independent energy storage power station projects; in Hebei province alone, 97 stations are scheduled for completion and grid connection this year," Wang explained. "Internationally, prolonged strong demand for energy storage, influenced by global situations and the energy crisis, combined with expectations of a reduction in the export tax rebate rate for lithium batteries starting in April, drove a sharp increase in the company's export volume in the first quarter."
Capitalizing on the favorable market conditions, the interviewed companies have outlined their future directions. Atomic Reshape plans to increase R&D investment, expand application scenarios, and pursue global market presence, aiming to become a global leader in desktop 3D printing. KUKA intends to leverage Midea's full industrial chain advantages to focus on areas like new energy and further broaden application scenarios. Tangshan Guoxuan will accelerate capacity expansion, make breakthroughs in core technologies, and deepen its layout in domestic and international markets to promote steady output growth.
Furthermore, experts like Zhu Minghao recommend that China's manufacturing sector seize current opportunities to foster a virtuous cycle of scientific and technological innovation and industrial application. Key suggestions include strengthening the role of enterprises as the main body of innovation, facilitating the flow of various production factors towards enterprises, and supporting leading companies in enhancing their innovation capabilities. Additionally, leveraging the advantages of advanced manufacturing clusters to form innovation consortia focused on accelerating R&D in core technologies is advised. Finally, accelerating the construction of pilot-scale testing and public service platforms to support the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements is crucial for the high-quality development of high-tech manufacturing as a new growth pole.
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