Market Situation of China's Superhard Materials Industry in 2017
According to the statistic data from China Machine Tool & Tool Builders' Association (CMTBA), there was 32.2% increase in the number of diamond grinding wheels in 2017, and the amount was also increased by 52.3%; There was 8.5% increase in export volume of grinding wheel products, and the amount grew 12%. The data comparison indicates that the precision machining market increased rapidly in the domestic market in 2017, and also confirms China's determination and perseverance to develop advanced manufacturing and high-end industries through their own efforts around "Made in China 2025".
The materials and processing precision are both important factors in determining a country's manufacturing level, and high-grade CNC machine tools, grinding wheels and basic processing equipment are the main equipment of improving the machining accuracy. With manufacturing industry's high requirements for the machining precision, the market demand for grinding wheel and other processing equipment will be also upgraded accordingly, which will provide great opportunities for superhard materials enterprises. And at the same time, how to deal with the change of the processing material, and how to deal with clients' requirements, also bring challenges to enterprise's technology innovation.
In 2017, diamond wire saw had seen an explosive growth, and synthetic diamond micron powder also increased rapidly accordingly. According to the statistic data from CMTBA, in 21 listed companies in this industry, there were 16 companies whose revenue growth rate was over 20%, and 2 companies whose growth doubled on wire saw. The wire saw revenue growth rate was from 78% to 317%, and diamond micron powder had 103% revenue growth. Even so, we need to keep a clear understanding for the industry's ups and downs behind the statistics.
Superhard material is an important member of new material industry system, and an organic part of China's strategic emerging industries. In recent years, enterprises generally encounter difficulties in employment, rising costs, increasing competition pressure, environmental protection and other problems, which bring challenges to the innovation and sustainable development of the superhard materials industry.
As one of the indispensable high-end tools for the high-end development of modern industry, high-efficiency precision superhard material tools play an important part in the development of national economy. Henan province is the most concentrated area of superhard materials and products in China, which has nearly hundreds of superhard materials and products production enterprises, and shoulders heavy responsibilities. It is important to increase the intensity of traditional application upgrade, actively expand in emerging markets, and give full play to explore the potential advantages and broad market of superhard materials in mechanical, thermal, optical, acoustic, electronic and chemical properties, and many other aspects.