Rethinking: What kind of laser cutting market does China need?
Laser cutting is a hot cutting method using the focused laser beam as the main heat source. The technology uses the energy released by the laser beam on the surface of the plate to melt and evaporate the stainless steel. China’s development of laser cutting is close to 20, the self-commercial laser cutting equipment began to develop from 2000, mainly 2000 watts below the CO2 laser cutting, at that time is the Shanghai United Hundred Ultra-company leading domestic cutting equipment development. By 2009, the advent of fiber laser cutting, in the development of CO2 laser cutting mature, leading market share of the situation, many people think that fiber laser can only cut thin plates, and more burr, and no attention. With the development of fiber laser technology, the cost of procurement and the improvement of technology, most of the enterprises engaged in laser cutting equipment have been transferred to fiber cutting.
After nearly ten years of development, fiber laser cutting in the general steel plate processing industry has become a trend, occupy the majority of market share. Laser cutting is widely used in sheet metal processing, metal processing, advertising production, kitchen utensils, automobiles, lamps, saw blades, elevator panels, metal crafts, textile machinery, grain machinery, glasses production, aerospace, medical equipment, instrumentation and other industries.
In particular, in the sheet metal processing industry has replaced many number of processing methods, favored by industry users.
- There have more than 400 fiber laser cutting machine manufactuers in China
In 2013, China has about 50-60 laser cutting equipment enterprises, and can produce more than 2000 watts of high-power products less than 20. To the beginning of 2018, conservatively estimated that China has more than 400 laser cutting equipment enterprises, capable of producing more than 3000 watts of high-power products more than 200 enterprises. Han, hundred Super di can, Chinese laborers, Van Zant, lead, high energy, Bond, Pentium Chu Tian Deng “heroism”. Over the past decade, the laser cutting industry has undergone a series of changes, including the improvement of the quality and thickness of cutting materials, the increase in machine power and efficiency, which enables today’s laser cutting machines to include automobiles, aerospace, healthcare, plastics, electrical and electronics, textiles, Numerous parts and components, such as carpentry, are efficiently processed. The author remembers 2012, the fiber laser cutting equipment popular competition is 2000 watts of power, in 2014 is 3000-4000 Watts, many people think that 4-kilowatt has been able to meet most of the thickness of the plate cutting processing needs. However, in the second half of 2016, Han Laser first introduced 8-kilowatt of the machine, triggering a new round of high-power laser cutting contention. Today, the major laser cutting manufacturers have been competing for 12,000 Watts, 15,000 watts of power products.
Have to admit that the laser products are rapidly upgrading, the market development is also changing. Despite the rapid development of the laser plate cutting market in the past two years, the growth rate is very good, but can not conceal the fact that the laser cutting market competition is too fierce, this field entry threshold is not high, leading to the number of enterprises engaged in laser processing equipment too much, and product quality is mixed, Individual entrepreneurs complain that the competitive strength of laser-cutting products in the past two years is about the same as the seven or eight-year-old laser marking machine, and the manufacturers ‘ profits are sharply compressed.
Such a situation is not China’s laser industry needs the status quo, which we need to reflect on.
- Europe’s laser equipment in the forefront of the world
In Europe’s laser equipment market, there are Italian Salvagnini, Pumabao, BLM Group, Germany Messer, fast, Swiss hundred Ultra, Belgium LVD, such as the representative of the laser cutting machine enterprises, the larger than 10 do laser cutting equipment. In fact, according to the European laser industry, the European laser industry entrepreneurial era in the early 1970 ‘s, after more than 10 years of development, to the 80 ‘s is also a pattern. The long history of the company was founded in 1898 by Adolph Messer, engaged in welding and flame cutting, in 1969, the German Essen exhibition first launched a laser cutting machine, the group was founded in 1923, engaged in sheet metal machines and CNC, 1970 generation into the Laser field, the introduction of laser machine tools. Italy Suwanee Sports Company was founded in 1963, Suwanee Sports Company has been nearly 50 years of history. Bystronic this name in 1964 for the first time, 1983 years hundred ultra-Bystronic produced the first CO2 laser cutting machine, 1984 years to produce more closely match the market demand CO2 laser cutting machine: Bylas 3015. Laser cutting in the domestic people to “3015” is also familiar with, is 3.0*1.5 meter format, almost every laser cutting manufacturers have this model machine, this size design is from the first hundred super. Pumabao, Italy (Prima Power) was founded in 1977, in 1979 successfully launched the first three-dimensional laser equipment. With the emergence and development of a large number of laser optics, lasers, laser equipment enterprises, Europe’s laser processing application market ushered in a prosperous stage, the market disorderly, competitive, and today’s situation in China is similar, perhaps due to the lack of basic laser physics research, upstream laser devices and lasers engaged in enterprises less, midstream laser equipment together , the competition situation is more serious than that of Europe. As a result, the European laser industry has been integrated into the 90 ‘s. For example, the 90-year acquisition of hüttinger,92-year holding Hass Laser, Pumabao acquisition of Swiss Laserwork AG successfully entered the laser market. Established in 1952, LVD is a company in Belgium that engages in bending machines, acquiring Strippit company in 1998 and starting production of laser cutting machines.
After more than more than 10 years of market shuffling and integration of industrial mergers and acquisitions, European laser cutting equipment development has become the pattern we see today. Laser cutting machine In Japan’s enterprises are mainly Yamazaki Mazak, Tian Tian Group, Mitsubishi, Murata, and so on, special Mazak constantly expanding, the world orders.
Tian Tian Group is also the world’s second largest sheet metal machine tool and laser technology enterprises, in recent years, the introduction of laser cutting machine in China, in addition to the acquisition of laser welding leading Enterprises Miyachi company, involved in laser welding market. From Europe, Japan and other developed countries, laser cutting equipment development experience, can be worth our reference and thinking, China’s laser cutting equipment developed rapidly, now must reflect on: How big is the market cake capacity? How many laser cutting enterprises do we need in the end? Laser cutting what is the next development direction, is to continue to fight the price to win the market or the differentiation of development to take the sophisticated road?
- 2018 China Laser Cutting equipment Market size over 28 billion yuan
China from 2003 to 2009, in the industrial processing requirements continue to promote the promotion of domestic enterprises to actively introduce laser cutting equipment, such as Hefei Hitachi introduced 5 large-coverage laser cutting machine, 2 small-face laser cutting machine, 31 heavy industry established in 3 years to introduce 27 sets of large covered laser cutting machine plan. Through the introduction of 2008 years and 2009, there are 15 sets of laser cutting machine, equipped with Kunshan heavy machinery, Shenyang 31 and other enterprises. Xugong, mountain push and other enterprises to be outdone by the laser cutting machine.
JPSA, a manufacturer of laser micromachining systems in mid-2009, plans to expand the manufacturing floor by one-fold, increasing the company’s manufacturing capacity for laser micromachining (laser engraving) systems to meet the needs of manufacturers of solar (including kilowatt-scale) panel manufacturers. In recent years, the domestic laser cutting machine technology has a breakthrough development, and towards high power, high precision, large-area direction. At present, the domestic laser cutting equipment enterprises have formed a Han, Chinese laborers, hundred super-Dee can, Pentium, lead, Van Zant, such as the first Echelon, to Bond, Tianqi, Parkson, radium, Xun Radium, Qing yuan, Tianhong, Hai Mu star for the second echelon development pattern, some engaged in 3000 watts below the small and medium-sized laser cutting enterprises more, The current estimate totals more than 400 companies. Under the background of intelligent manufacturing in China, the industrial field is showing the transition from traditional processing to high-end manufacturing, and the market scale of China’s laser cutting field will keep the trend of high speed development. By 2017, China’s laser cutting equipment market size of 24 billion yuan, the growth rate of 35%, it is estimated that the 2018 laser cutting machine growth rate may reach 27%, the market size is expected to close to 30 billion yuan. Medium and small power laser cutting equipment Market sales scale has maintained a high rate of growth, the core of the laser to achieve a higher rate of localization. Production and sales of laser cutting machine has become the industry’s “darling.”
- Taking Hong Shi as an example Enterprise Transformation and Professional development
such as Acer laser at the beginning of the establishment, the company mainly produces leather materials, clothing fabric cutting low-power non-metallic cutting equipment, in the laser industry is not conspicuous.
But since 2014, Acer Laser began to enter the field of high-power laser metal cutting equipment, with the world’s leading laser production enterprises to apply laser technology to metal cutting, metal welding, for domestic enterprises to provide high-end laser intelligent equipment. Today, Acer Laser has become a laser intelligent equipment in the “Invisible Champion”, the product was gree electrical appliances, temperature group, Yizumi, and other well-known enterprises and other applications. Enterprise Annual sales revenue from 2015 of 180 million Yuan leap, to 2016 exceeded 500 million yuan, an increase of 270% yoy.
In the past two years, we have continued to maintain strong growth, with sales of more than 2500 units at the end of 1.2 billion yuan. At present, the industry like Hong Shi this rapid development of enterprises abound, on the one hand is exactly in the two or three years of laser cutting market demand for explosive growth, on the other hand, laser cutting machine unit price is higher, relative to the small laser machine more easily to the scale of performance rushed up. But it must be seen that there are still many to win orders and lower prices, of course, there are lasers, cutting head procurement costs decline, but more importantly, individual enterprises to pursue shipments and sacrifice part of the profits, the current domestic laser cutting equipment Universal single profit space is more than 20%, if less than this number, Enterprises also have to deduct taxes, administrative operations, sales expenses, and so on, almost unprofitable. In the declining efficiency, enterprises can not see the new Hope at the same time, the manufacturing industry to cross-border development, also became possible. Some enterprises since 2013 began to carry out the industrialization of 3D metal printing equipment research, in addition to industrial cross-border, business model is also quietly changing. More and more companies are beginning to transform into service providers with “soft added value”. Enterprises are not planting, see the high price of pork, to pig, the results of herd, coupled with long benefits, such as the pig raised, sent on the market results, the price fell, and became a losing business. To do business to see the market dynamics and product trends, to see the earnest do a few years, there will be changes in time to upgrade the transformation of innovation or cross-border rebirth.
- Gree cross-boundary laser cutting controversy
Gree in the people’s impression is the main air-conditioning equipment, home appliance enterprises, and its helm Dong Mingzhu is a personality, dare to break the strong woman. In the previous years, Gree began to try to get rid of the “Home Appliance Enterprise” single mark, once shouted to cross-border operations, and strive to transform.
In these years, Gree first became a smart equipment company, and then try to do mobile phone, Dong Mingzhu and Xiaomi founder Lei June 1 billion gambling became people after dinner conversation, and then Gree also want to enter new energy vehicles, Dong Mingzhu in the name of a personal stake in Zhuhai Silver Lung, before the ZTE event, Gree also announced to do domestic chip. At the 2017 annual shareholder meeting of Gree Electric appliance, Dong Mingzhu disclosed the latest industrial plans, including four pieces of air-conditioning, high-end equipment, living category and communication equipment, and the Internet of things, mobile phones, chips and big data business belong to communications equipment companies. Dong Mingzhu said that gree to enter the smart equipment, mobile phones, chips must be done. As long as the right must be dry, to succeed, to master their own destiny, the rice bowls do not end in the hands of others.
Retirement is a matter of another. For the laser industry is concerned about, is gree in early June this year announced the launch of the first fiber laser cutting machine, for the gantry double-drive structure, equipped with 4KW laser, it is said that cutting accuracy is very high, error <±0.02mm. The news caused widespread concern among laser equipment practitioners. “Even the home appliance enterprise also to make the cutting machine!” Some people in the industry are so lamenting. These years, in addition to do punch, cutting bed, bending some enterprises to join the laser cutting, do steel, coal, also to do, and now do home appliances also to do. For some, from start to finish is to do laser cutting “old line Zun”, more is worried. Of course, Gree’s original intention is “to promote the development of China’s high-end equipment manufacturing”, in addition to doing laser equipment, he also made industrial robots and other products. The enterprise Development mode has the specialization and the diversification path, each has many successes and the failure case, finally only one result, suits own enterprise is the successful pattern, and this “fits”, often is wants to try after only then to know. Whether this cross-border equipment is good or bad, I believe the people have different comments.
- should develop in the direction of high, fine and three-dimensional intelligence
We need to develop the environment and trends: first, high-speed, high-precision laser cutting machine to advance; the second is the higher power and large-scale laser cutting equipment, three-dimensional multi-axis flexible multi-function laser cutting machine. In order to meet the needs of automotive, aviation and other industrial three-dimensional workpiece cutting, has developed a variety of 5-axis or 6-axis three-dimensional laser cutting machine, processing speed, high precision, in the 6.2m range of processing error within 0.1mm. At present, the three-dimensional laser cutting machine is developing with high efficiency, high precision, multifunction and adaptability, and its application scope will be more and more large.
- The industry will be integrated and differentiated in order to survive
I have repeatedly reminded the industry in different articles, the current laser processing industry encountered a “into” a “out” of the problem: into the industry without too much access to the threshold; out, is to do a good job to sell equipment products, and there is not too much certification, quality control, industry standards constraints. Therefore, it is easy to cause some enterprises to have “sell to be king” consciousness, regardless of the actual use of products and technology follow-up development. At present, laser cutting enterprises are mixed, perhaps in the next few years the industry will appear to integrate, some poor quality enterprises will be eliminated, China does not need 400 laser cutting enterprises, perhaps 40 home is enough.
Like more than 10 years ago, the home appliance brand hundred thousand, today is what kind of condition, reader also clear. We want to get rid of the industry homogeneity of the rut, looking for enterprise solutions, to achieve differentiation. In the field of laser equipment manufacturing, there are two distinctive features. First, intelligent + Automation has become a major trend, in addition, enterprises should also see from the sale of equipment to change into a selling solution. In the vast majority of equipment manufacturing enterprises on the coloring page, it seems that the overall plan is less, do more equipment, equipment and programs appear similar, but there are very different. The so-called equipment, is to sell products to customers, let their own collocation. And the solution is to stand in the customer’s perspective to solve the problem. There is a homogenous problem with the device, but the needs of each customer are different, and the solution can truly differentiate.
- Continuous innovation to enhance the core competitiveness of enterprises
Want to not be eliminated by the market, successfully survived, and developed into the industry leader or regional leader, then, rely on “research and development Innovation + high-quality products + Good brand marketing.” Do not expect to experience the industry after the integration of less competitors, you can live very comfortable, relaxed.
Keep in mind that competitors may be thinking about doing your orders all the while, the domestic handset industry is only a few of Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Meizu, you can look at their competition. The transformation and upgrading of traditional industries with many laser processing, which is to the laser market to bring the greatest positive factor.
In the next 10 this dividend is expected to continue, while a group of laser cutting equipment companies will stand out, get good results, they do not have any shortcuts, or rely on “research and innovation + high-quality products + Good brand marketing.” How can an enterprise survive in the laser cutting machine industry and gain more profit?
We want to improve the core competitiveness of enterprises from the following seven aspects: 1, Enterprise Culture competition, 2, Sales channel competition, 3, product price competition, 4, enterprise process competition, 5, business partner competition, 6, Innovation Consciousness competition, 7, product brand competition.