On March 13, JD Industrials (07618), a leading Chinese industrial supply chain technology and service provider, global robotics giant ABB Robotics, and Shenzhen Jasic Technology Co., Ltd. (300193), a top domestic welding and cutting equipment manufacturer, announced a deep strategic collaboration. The three parties will jointly develop standardized welding robot packages, leveraging JD Industrials' digital-intelligent supply chain and omnichannel service capabilities to initiate a new phase of Direct-to-Customer (DTC) model for welding robots in China. By integrating technology, innovating channels, and fostering industrial synergy, the partnership aims to significantly lower the procurement and application barriers for welding robots, thereby unlocking the growth potential of Chinese manufacturing, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This strategic alliance centers on industrial chain value integration and digital-intelligent supply chain innovation, establishing a comprehensive "technology + product + channel + service" collaborative system. Under the agreement, the parties have defined clear roles based on their complementary strengths: JD Industrials will serve as the exclusive online sales channel, utilizing its vast customer base of approximately 13,300 key account clients and millions of SMEs to provide digital-intelligent supply chain technology and channel capabilities, while also collaborating to establish DTC experience and delivery centers. ABB Robotics will supply advanced arc welding robot units and offer full lifecycle technical support, committing to prioritized production capacity. Jasic Technology will provide high-performance welding power sources and undertake core operational functions, including package integration design, standardized testing, warehousing, logistics, and nationwide after-sales service coordination.
Through targeted marketing and investment in funding streams, the trio plans to significantly increase their respective brands' market share in the welding robot sector within three years. The Chinese welding robot market is currently in a period of rapid growth. Data indicates the market size is projected to reach between $1.159 billion and $1.447 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.71% to 11.99%, and is expected to surpass $2.1 billion by 2033. As manufacturing transformation accelerates, demand for automated welding equipment from Chinese enterprises is surging. However, the traditional industrial robot market has long been plagued by issues such as long delivery cycles, high purchasing barriers, and slow service response, which hinder the intelligentization progress of traditional manufacturers, particularly SMEs.
The jointly developed standardized welding robot packages will integrate ABB's world-leading robotics automation technology and software ecosystem, comprehensive after-sales support, with Jasic Technology's high-performance welding power sources and integration service capabilities, creating a welding solution characterized by stable quality, reliability, and fast, convenient delivery. The DTC model, developed in partnership with JD Industrials, is set to transform the industry landscape, ushering in an era of "SME-friendly and accessible" industrial robots in China. Customers will be able to order standardized welding robot packages directly on JD Industrials' platform with one click, benefiting from 48-hour express delivery. Through DTC experience centers, customers can schedule trial welding sessions in advance and receive one-on-one technical guidance, realizing a novel experience akin to "shopping for industrial robots online."
As a digital-intelligent supply chain service enterprise under JD Group that "understands both the industry and digitalization," JD Industrials has become a leading provider in China, serving about 13,300 major enterprises and millions of SMEs, and has built an integrated physical-digital supply chain service system covering MRO, BOM, and spare parts scenarios. ABB Robotics, a global leader in robotics technology, has been deeply involved in the Chinese market for over 30 years, possessing a complete local value chain for R&D, manufacturing, and services, with over 90% of its robots sold in China being locally produced, ensuring product quality and performance with its advanced arc welding robot unit technology. This collaboration marks ABB Robotics' first pilot in China to introduce the DTC model into the robotics field, representing a significant milestone in its digital transformation and deepening of local partnerships. Jasic Technology, a high-tech enterprise in the domestic welding sector, has been dedicated to the R&D, production, and sales of welding and cutting equipment for over two decades, holding over a hundred patents. Its products are exported to nearly 100 countries worldwide, and it has been a welding equipment supplier for major projects like the Bird's Nest and Shenzhen Metro. The company provides core hardware support for the standardized robot packages with its high-performance welding power sources and mature system integration capabilities.
The powerful combination of these three entities achieves deep integration of world-class technology, local manufacturing advantages, and digital channel capabilities, setting a new benchmark for industrial collaboration. Over the next three years, the partners will not only focus on breakthroughs in the DTC online sales model but also plan to jointly establish integrated delivery centers for R&D, experience, and training to drive product iteration and service upgrades. As the online penetration rate for industrial goods in China continues to rise, the three parties will collaborate to explore the global replication of the DTC model, contributing Chinese technology and solutions to the global intelligent welding industry and empowering its development with Chinese digital-intelligent supply chain solutions.
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