The woodworking machinery market in our country has shown remarkable stability and improvement over recent years. This article examines factors driving growth and resilience in the woodworking machinery market, providing insights for professionals and enthusiasts.
Current Trends in the Woodworking Machinery Market
From May 13th to 16th, the Hongdao International Convention and Exhibition Center in Qingdao City, Shandong Province hosted the 18th Qingdao International Furniture Fair (i.e. Whole House Customization, International Woodworking Machinery and Raw and Auxiliary Materials Exhibition). There are 9 exhibition halls in this exhibition, and more than 1,100 companies from upstream and downstream of the furniture and industrial chain participated in the exhibition. The number of visitors on the opening day exceeded 150,000.
There were 2 woodworking machinery pavilions in this exhibition, and about 140 companies participated in the exhibition. The reporter visited the woodworking machinery exhibition hall and found that most woodworking machinery companies have escaped the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020, and the production and sales of companies are booming, and production orders have been scheduled after August.
Key Factors Driving the Woodworking Machinery Market Growth
Why can China’s woodworking machinery industry transform and upgrade, stabilize and improve? The reporter sought answers at the exhibition.
“Break through a number of core technologies and provide a complete set of solutions is the key to the rapid development of woodworking machinery enterprises.” Wei Jian, secretary general of the China Forestry Machinery Association, told reporters.
Challenges Facing the Woodworking Machinery Market
Twenty years ago, the International Woodworking Machinery Exhibition saw significant participation from foreign companies, including prominent pavilions from Germany and Italy. This international presence underscored the global importance and competitiveness of the woodworking machinery industry at the time. The exhibition showcased advanced technologies, fostered business relationships, and highlighted global innovations. German and Italian companies, known for their technological advancements and high-quality machinery, played a pivotal role in setting industry standards and trends. Their involvement not only elevated the exhibition’s prestige but also provided valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration and growth within the woodworking sector. This era marked substantial international influence, driving industry evolution and the global adoption of new technologies and practices.
Professor Ma Yan and the Secretary-General of the National Innovation Alliance of Woodworking Intelligence analyzed recent hot woodworking machinery sales.Furniture is a rigid demand product, custom home furnishings are rising, and the furniture industry seeks efficiency and reduced labor.Some foreign woodworking machinery brands withdrew from the Chinese market because they could not effectively meet the needs of the domestic customized furniture market. Southeast Asia prefers Chinese woodworking machinery and furniture equipment that are more cost-effective.
“Twenty years ago, many foreign companies participated in the International Woodworking Machinery Exhibition, including international pavilions from Germany and Italy. In recent years, foreign companies participating in the International Woodworking Exhibition in China have decreased. The inability to participate in the exhibition due to the epidemic is one of the factors. The industrialized production of customized furniture drives China’s woodworking machinery. Many woodworking machinery products now approach international standards, and the proportion of numerical control has increased significantly. 80% of the equipment exhibited by the exhibitors have realized intelligent and numerical control. The number of special processing machines has increased. For example, in the past, only two-dimensional plate-type carving can now be used for three-dimensional solid wood carving.” said researcher Fu Wansi, former director of the Beijing Forestry Machinery Research Institute.
Forecast and Future Outlook for the Woodworking Machinery Market
China is a big country in furniture production, consumption and export. Customs statistics show woodworking machinery exports rose 56.69% year-on-year from January to March 2021, with March’s growth at 38.89%.Although the export situation is good, according to company feedback, China’s woodworking machinery companies also have some difficulties. 20.65% of companies cite high costs and insufficient labor as main challenges for sales and exports. 18.4% face rapid order increases. 13.04% of companies cited delivery delays, unhealthy competition, and a shortage of research and senior management personnel.
Liu Fenghua believes that in the next few years, woodworking machinery product research and development will focus on several areas. Improving automatic connection, particularly through the development of robots and visual recognition technology, will enhance connection stability. We need significant R&D investment to match European manufacturers in flexible edge banding machine performance and stability. The diversification of high-end customization demands more flexible processing and precision stability from processing equipment. Additionally, multi-functional 5-axis machining centers may see increased applications.
China has about 1,200 woodworking machinery enterprises, with over 200 large companies and nearly 100,000 employees.
More than 6,000 engineers and technicians work in the industry, providing around 1,100 products in 69 categories.
