An injection moulding machine is vital and indispensable in the modern plastics industry. Its primary function is to transform thermoplastics from the original granular raw material to the final moulded product, seamlessly transitioning from raw to finished product.
First Impression
While operating an injection molding machine, we witness the complex process of gradually transforming the plastic raw material from granular form to the final product. This process includes the stages of melting, injection, pressure holding, and cooling, each of which plays a vital role in the quality and performance of the final product.
Classification by Driving Method:
According to the different driving methods, plastic molding machines can be divided into three main categories: hydraulic, electrical, and electro-hydraulic hybrid. Hydraulic injection moulding machines rely mainly on the hydraulic system to generate power. In contrast, electrical types rely on electric power, and electro-hydraulic hybrids combine the two, with the advantages of both hydraulics and electricity.
The specific type of plastic injection molding machine is determined by the difference in how the material is plasticized. Screw injection moulding machines are superior to plunger China Injection Moulding Machine Industry Market Status and Trends 2024 in terms of mixing and residual plasticised material quality, which makes them the preferred choice in many application scenarios.
Orientation and Clamping Force:
Depending on the orientation of the axes of the injection and closing devices, injection moulding machines can be further classified into horizontal, vertical and angular types. Each type has unique application scenarios and advantages, meeting different production needs.
In addition, according to clamping force size, injection moulding machines can be divided into large, medium, and trim. Small and medium-sized injection molding machines account for most of the market share, while large-sized injection molding machines play a crucial role in specific and demanding applications.
Fundamental Molding Processes and Principles:
Despite the differences in the structure and application of different types of molding machines, the fundamental processes and principles of molding are the same. The method includes stages of plasticization, mold closing, injection, pressure holding, cooling plasticization, and product removal, each of which impacts the final product’s quality and performance.
Industry Chain Analysis:
According to the analysis of ‘China Injection Moulding Machine Industry In-depth Research and Development Trend Forecast Research Report 2023-2028’ published by China Research Institute, the industry chain of China Injection Moulding Machine industry mainly includes upstream raw materials and parts suppliers, midstream Injection Moulding Machine manufacturers and downstream application markets.
The upstream raw materials and parts mainly include steel, pig iron, castings, hydraulic, electrical, and moulds. Among them, steel, pig iron, and castings are used primarily to produce structural parts and components of injection molding machines. In contrast, hydraulic and electrical parts are critical control systems of injection molding machines, and molds are core components of injection molding machine production. The midstream is the manufacturing process of injection molding machines, which mainly involves various types of injection molding machine manufacturers. The downstream is the application market, which includes primarily the automotive industry, household electrical appliance industry, medical industry, packaging and beverage, and so on.
Injection Moulding Machine Industry Market Status
Globally, the injection moulding machine industry is experiencing steady growth. According to relevant data, the global China Injection Moulding Machine Industry Market Status and Trends 2024 market space was estimated at $99.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow to $141.4 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 4.5%. This trend reflects the importance of injection moulding machines in the plastics processing sector and the continued demand for them in the market.
Europe and Japan are the leading regions in the injection moulding machine industry. With their long-term experience and technological development, these two regions occupy most of the high-end market share for injection moulding machines. Germany and Austria represent Europe, where precision injection molding machines and large-scale injection molding machines boast high technological content and added value, bringing considerable profit margins to enterprises. On the other hand, Japan is famous for its electric China Injection Moulding Machine, especially in high-precision miniaturized injection moulding machines with apparent advantages.
As for the domestic market, due to the widespread adoption of injection molding technology for engineering plastics, injection molding machines have become the product with the largest market share in domestic plastics machinery and equipment. It has a wide range of applications, large output, high output value, and high export volume, essential pillars of China’s plastics machinery industry. In recent years, with the continuous development of automotive, home appliances, and other sectors, as well as the surge in demand for medical plastic products during the epidemic, the market size of China’s injection moulding machine market is also expanding. The market size of China’s injection moulding machine industry in 2019 was 23.3 billion, and it will reach 28 billion in 2022. The market size of China’s injection moulding machine industry in 2019 was 33.3 billion, reaching 28 billion in 2022.
Key players in the injection moulding machine industry
Although European and Japanese companies mainly occupy the high-end market for injection moulding machines, Chinese companies are gradually closing the gap with them. Currently, Chinese enterprises occupy the mid-end market share, and some leading enterprises are competing fiercely with imported enterprises in the high-end region.
China Injection Moulding Machine industry has formed two Yangtze and Pearl Rivers industrial clusters. Among them, Ningbo in the Yangtze River Delta region, with Haitian as the leader, has seen a very rapid development of injection molding machines, with the annual output accounting for more than 50% of the total yearly output of injection molding machines in China. Haitian International is the industry leader in China’s production and output value. Enterprises such as Zhenxiong, Izumi, Botron, Terry, and Lijin are in the second echelon. In the next few years, two, three, or four of the ‘qualifying’ competition will become the main focus of competition among injection moulding machine manufacturers.
According to the China Plastics Machinery Industry Association’s calculations, China’s plastics machinery production accounted for more than 50% of the world’s share, sales revenue accounted for about 35%, has become a plastics machinery manufacturing and exporting country in the global plastic machine market has a significant influence.
In 2022, Yizumi achieved an operating income of RMB 3.68 billion, and Terra Machinery achieved an operating income of RMB 1.186 billion. By the first quarter of 2023, Izumi’s operating income had reached 860 million yuan, while Terra Machine’s operating income was 290 million yuan. These two companies have performed well in the domestic market. However, they still need to face the challenges of domestic and foreign competitors in the future and constantly improve their strength and competitiveness.
The future development trend of the injection moulding machine industry
With the continuous progress of science and technology and changes in market demand, large-scale, electrification, and intelligence have become the three major trends of the future development of the injection molding machine industry. Although China’s injection molding machine enterprises in the past two years have improved the level of technology, there still needs to be a particular gap due to the relatively late start and foreign developed countries. Most of China’s injection moulding machine enterprises are still mainly in the low-end market, and ‘the second version of the large machine, small machine electrification’ is the main form of China Injection Moulding Machine market development.
Large-Scale Development:
However, information technology, automation, and intelligence have gradually become an important direction and inevitable trend for the development of large enterprises. As China’s injection molding machine industry’s technological and innovation advantages become dominant, injection molding machine products are expected to move towards large-scale production, electrification, and intelligence. Precision, smart, low-carbon, and energy-saving modern injection moulding development patterns will also take Chinese technology to a broader stage. The trend of domestic production replacing imports has become irreversible, and China’s injection molding machine industry is expected to play a more critical role in the global market.
Electrification of Injection Molding Machines:
With the continuous expansion of the downstream application market, large-scale has become an essential trend in developing injection moulding machines. Large-scale injection molding machines can meet the growing demand for large-scale production and improve production efficiency and product quality. At the same time, large-scale projects also help promote the industry to a higher level of technology and industrial upgrading.
Technological Advancements and Market Position:
With the improvement of environmental awareness and energy structure adjustment, electrification has become another major trend in the injection moulding machine industry. Compared with traditional hydraulic injection molding machines, electric injection molding machines have a higher energy efficiency ratio and lower energy consumption, in line with green and low-carbon development requirements. At the same time, electrification also helps to improve the automation and intelligence level of China Injection Moulding Machine, enhancing production efficiency and product quality.
Embracing Intelligent Manufacturing:
Intellectualization is an inevitable trend in modern manufacturing and an essential direction for developing the injection molding machine industry. By introducing artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data, and other technologies, we can achieve intelligent control, intelligent monitoring, and intelligent production of injection molding machines, which improves production efficiency and product quality while reducing energy consumption and costs. At the same time, intelligence also helps promote the digital transformation of the injection moulding machine industry and enhances enterprises’ competitiveness and market position.
