Machinery and equipment manufacturing in China
Focal point: NBSO Dalian
The layout of the global equipment manufacturing industry is changing fast.
Production capacity relocates from developed countries to emerging markets like China. The rise of the Chinese manufacturing industry in the last decades has been exceptional. According to KMPG’s Global Manufacturing Outlook (2010), China is the most important sourcing location for manufacturing capacity, accounting for 35% of global output. What is more, 39% of countries plan to increase investment in China over the next two years, more than in any other country.
The Chinese market is increasingly important for the Dutch economy. Among the BRIC-countries, China is already the largest importer of Dutch goods. Trade between the two countries is worth EUR 6.8 billion or about 2.5% of total exports of the
Netherlands. Of all the BRIC-countries, China is also by far the largest exporter to the Netherlands. Dutch exports to China are for nearly 80% made up of goods. Machinery equipment accounts for more than 25% of all good exported to China, while machines and other technology products make up more than half of total goods exports. A study among members of the FME-CWM, the largest association for the technology industry in the Netherlands, revealed that Dutch technology companies believe China will be the most important emerging economy and foreign growth driver.
Recent developments in the Chinese market for equipment manufacturing make this a very dynamic marketplace. The many large state-owned manufacturing companies are subject to incisive reforms. These enterprises are looking for ways to become less dependent on foreign technology and know-how. Private Chinese companies are quickly upgrading the quality of products and production efficiency. These companies are looking to develop both the domestic and the international market.
On top of these developments we see a trend among foreign producers to relocate to China, where high-tech production becomes more and more important. While the low-cost “advantage” of production in China’s eastern coastal provinces disappears, the quality of staff, suppliers and infrastructure is going up. Chinese domestic demand for high-tech products and production techniques is also growing fast. These
developments make China’s eastern seaboard an interesting location for high-tech manufacturing companies. For most foreign companies in China, selling on the Chinese market requires of a local presence.
The Chinese equipment manufacturing industry is the largest industrial sector in China. This industry can be categorised into the full-range of 12 sub-sectors. These are:
Transportation equipment manufacturing;
Electrical equipment manufacturing;
Heavy-duty and mining equipment manufacturing;
Petrochemical and general equipment manufacturing;
Agricultural equipment manufacturing;
Construction equipment manufacturing;
Internal combustion engine manufacturing;
Machine tools and tools industry;
Instruments and meters;
General equipment manufacturing (basic components);
Environmental protection equipment manufacturing;
Food processing and packaging equipment manufacturing.
The Chinese central government stimulates the import of advanced manufacturing equipment in an effort to upgrade this sector. An advanced equipment manufacturing industry is key to developing other important sectors, such as the petrochemical, new energy, aerospace and automotive industries. Several local governments have outlined policies in support of equipment manufacturing industries. These measures take the following form:
Subsidies and financial aid for key industries;
Innovation promotion programs;
Priority approval of stock market listings, share issuance, short-term financing and medium term bonds; support for banks to release loans to companies in the industry;
Encouraging merges and acquisitions in an effort to form large conglomerates;
Encouraging international cooperation and exchange;
Supporting brand building;
Exemption from import tariffs and import-linked VAT (value-added tax) on self-use equipment or the refurbishment of equipment and supporting technology components, spare parts etc;
Foreign-funded enterprises are encouraged to purchase domestic equipment by means of tax rebates on the purchase of domestic equipment;
In addition, foreign investors that currently operate in coastal regions and wish to relocate to western and interior regions, will enjoy streamlined administrative, tax, foreign exchange and social security related filings and approvals.
It is important to note that these programs, tax agreements and benefits differ greatly from place to place, even within provinces, cities and between economic zones.
Province overview
Region Description
Liaoning NBSO Dalian
The industry: In 2009 equipment manufacturing had become the largest industry in Liaoning. At the end of 2009, there were about 7000 companies in this industry that achieved sales worth EUR 91,8 billion (RMB 800 billion), an increase of 35% compared to 2008. Moreover these companies achieved a profit of around EUR 3,4 billion (RMB 30 billion), an increase of 64% compared to 2008.
Focal points: The focus areas in the province are: machine tools, high-tech and automation equipment, petrochemical and electrical power equipment, energy and environmental protection equipment and metal processing.
Tianjin NBSO Tianjin
The industry: During the Eleventh Five-Year Plan period, Tianjin's equipment manufacturing industry got organized and more than EUR 3,4 million (RMB 30 million) was invested in 673 major projects, of which the total investment reached EUR 44,5 billion (RMB 387.55 billion). It is estimated that by the end of 2012, the total industrial output of equipment manufacturing in Tianjin will exceed EUR 114,8 billion (RMB 1 trillion).
Focal points: The following industries in Tianjin are especially important for equipment manufacturing companies: aviation and aerospace, transportation, shipbuilding and maintenance, oil and petrochemical, wind power, nuclear power, water power, super high pressure electric transmission and transformation, engineering, port machineries and agricultural machineries.
Hebei NBSO Tianjin
The industry: The equipment manufacturing industry in Hebei province has developed rapidly in 2010. Its size increased by 20% in respect to the previous year. The production value of this industry exceeded EUR 57,4 billion (RMB 500 billion) in 2010.
Focal points: The fastest growing sub-sectors are the general equipment manufacturing industry that increased by 28%;
transportation equipment manufacturing industry that increased by 36% and the electrical equipment manufacturing industry that
increased by 18%. Furthermore, Hebei has competitive advantages in the fields of large power transmission equipment, wind power
equipment, Train Multiple Units, pickup trucks, roll metallurgy, mechanical engineering, plumbing equipment.
Hubei
NBSO Wuhan
The industry: In 2010, the industrial value of the equipment
manufacturing sector in Wuhan (capital and economic center of Hubei) amounted up to EUR 26,4 billion (RMB 230 billion), accounting for 45% of the total industrial output value in the city. Most of the active companies are state owned enterprises that focus on the domestic market. The export figures are relatively low. Imports of automatic machinery are rather low due to cheap local labor cost.
Focal points: Wuhan is home to some major engineering centers in the following fields of equipment manufacturing: digitalization, laser processing, optical telecommunication technology, numeric control, industrial flue gas dust catcher and satellite position systems.
Jiangsu NBSO Nanjing
The industry: In 2008 sales revenue of EUR 275,5 billion (RMB 2,4 trillion) had been realized in the Jiangsu equipment manufacturing industry, a 37.8% share of the whole provincial industrial revenue and one fourth of the whole national revenue of this industry. During the past five years, research and development in the equipment manufacturing industry has been largely upgraded.
Focal points: A number of new and advanced equipments has been developed such as wide body subway cars, turbine generators using low temperature and recycled steam, and electronic control common rail fuel injection systems. A few industrial clusters have been formed which concentrate on construction machinery, pressure vessels, and electric transmission equipment.
Chongqing NBSO Wuhan
The industry: By the end of 2009, 1120 companies in Chongqing were active in the field of equipment manufacturing, with a total turnover of EUR 12,01 billion (RMB 105 billion). A series of preferential government policies give priority to local companies. This has resulted in difficulties for foreign equipment suppliers who want to enter the local market.
Focal points: Chongqing has an advanced equipment manufacturing industry due to its strategic inland location. Equipment includes
conventional weapons (biggest industry base in China), transformers, machine tools, environmental equipment, heavy transportation equipment and instrumentation. Opportunities exist in the outsourcing of equipment manufacturing, engineering consultancy and sales of complicated production machinery.
Shandong NBSO Qingdao
The machinery industry: The machinery industry is one of the pillar industries of Shandong province. It is ranked the second largest machinery industry by province next to Jiangsu province. By the end of 2010, the 10.390 large scale enterprises in Shandong province’s machinery industry had generated a total revenue of EUR 183,6 billion (RMB 1,6 trillion), a year-on-year growth of 33,3 percent.
Focal points: The strongest segments of the machinery industry in Shandong province are the agricultural machinery industry
(agricultural transportation vehicles, tractors), the engineering machinery industry (large metal forging equipment, papermaking equipment), the machine tool industry, the car industry (including heavy duty trucks, light trucks, tires), the electric and apparatus industry and the ship and marine engineering equipment industry.
Shanghai
Consulate-General
The machinery industry: Shanghai is a traditional center for the equipment manufacturing industry. In 2008 Shanghai had an industry output of EUR 137,7 billion (RMB 1200 billion) of machinery and equipment manufacturing. Now Shanghai is building an innovation driven modern industrial base for equipment manufacturing, primarily located in the Lingang New Area in Pudong.
Focal points: Priorities are given to high end equipment in areas such as civil aviation, automotive, ship building, offshore engineering, nuclear and offshore wind power etc. Participating are some leading companies like the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, Shanghai Electric, and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.
Business opportunities can be found in key technologies, core
components, high precision components and the electronic automation systems from foreign suppliers.
Guangzhou Consulate-General
The machinery industry: Guangdong reached an industrial output of equipment manufacturing of EUR 78,2 billion (RMB 681 billion), which accounted for 14.2% of provincial GDP, by end of 2009. Equipment manufacturing is highly centralized in the PRD region. Guangzhou,
Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan cities shared approximately 80% of the total industrial output.
Focal points: Guangdong was strong at textile machinery and medical imaging equipment but relatively weak at lifting, conveying, metal rolling and compacting. The Provincial Government issued the
‘Planning of Guangdong Equipment Manufacturing Development 2009 – 2013’, in order to strive for an industrial added value for equipment manufacturing at EUR 166,4 billion (RMB 1,45 trillion) by the end of 2013, especially in the advanced fields of communication and
electronics, nuclear power, wind power, shipping, marine engineering etc. In addition, the improvement of industrial chains has become a provincial development direction for equipment manufacturing as well.
