China's Plastics Machinery Industry Accelerates Going Abroad, Shifting From "Selling Products" To "Localized Ecosystem" Development

From initially exporting simple equipment to establishing overseas after-sales service centers and then setting up factories for localized production, Chinese plastic machinery companies are no longer content with merely selling products overseas."Deep Localization" StrategyRoot and grow in the international market.

As the world's largest manufacturer of injection molding machines, Haitian International's overseas strategy is to...Build a global production and service network.It is a typical example of "manufacturing in China, manufacturing for the world."

"Integrated production, sales, and service overseas layout"Haitian International has gradually been in.India, Mexico, Germany, Turkey, VietnamFive overseas factories have been built in these regions. This model of "establishing factories directly in major markets" allows the company to stay close to customers, circumvent trade barriers, and quickly respond to market demands. Its overseas revenue now accounts for 40%, demonstrating significant success in globalization.

Haitian India Factory Exterior

Deeply penetrate regional markets.In advantageous markets such as Southeast Asia, Haitan International's market share exceeds 50%. The key to its success lies in...Deeply bind downstream Chinese-funded enterprises going abroad.For example, through its subsidiary in Thailand, it has provided long-term, stable equipment support and after-sales service for the Haier Thailand Industrial Park, establishing a trust transfer from a Chinese brand to a global brand.

Technology and brand dual driversIn addition to its main brand "Haitian," its high-end brand "Changfei Ya" has successfully entered high-end markets such as Europe with its advantages in fully electric and intelligent technology, changing the market's inherent impression of Chinese manufacturing as "low price and low quality."

The globalization path of Yizhi Mi focuses more on.Through technology integration and brand upgrading, penetrate the high-end markets in Europe and America....while simultaneously covering emerging markets with localized production.

Focus on Europe, Research and Development FirstYizumi regards Europe as a strategic stronghold, establishing a research and development center in Germany and collaborating with local universities and research institutions to absorb top-notch technology and enhance brand recognition.

Yizumi Germany R&D Center

Dual Branding and Global Production StrategyThe company has implemented a dual-brand strategy consisting of the main brand "YIZUMI" and the North American acquired brand "HPM," accurately targeting different customer groups. In coordination with this, the company has established a "China, Europe, America, India" integrated manufacturing framework globally. Through localized setups in China, Germany (R&D center), the United States (HPM production base), and India, the company has achieved deep penetration and rapid response in key markets.

Develop products with a targeted approach.In the Indian market, Yizhiming quickly developed specialized machine configurations to meet local demands. Its three-board machine, high-speed packaging systems, and other products have achieved excellent performance due to their high cost-effectiveness and localized services.

Compared to the all-encompassing of Haitan and Yizhim, Jinwei Machinery adopts a more incremental global strategy, with its core being"Service first, manufacturing follows."。

Step-by-step implementation of a composite base construction planThe globalization of Jinwei Machinery is divided into two stages: the initial stage involves setting up after-sales service centers in key markets, integrating parts warehousing, technical support, and regular inspection functions; after the market matures, it upgrades to a composite base of "service center + factory," achieving seamless integration of localized production and customized services.

Emphasize regional "adaptability"In the Eurasian region, where the industrial base is solid, accelerate the establishment of service outlets by relying on the mature industrial chain; upgrade product performance in advance in response to environmental standards and technical specifications in the European market; in fast-growing regions such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East, simultaneously promote the construction of service centers and market research to pave the way for the subsequent selection of manufacturing base locations. For cost-sensitive demand in Southeast Asia, optimize production processes and service packages. This differentiated pace highly aligns with industry trends.

Jinwei Machinery Vietnam After-Sales Service Center

Distributed Layout ModeJinwei's layout has, adopting a distributed layout of "regional manufacturing hubs + localized manufacturing units," which is becoming the mainstream choice for Chinese plastic machinery enterprises.

Haitian, Yizumi, and Jinwei's strategic upgrades collectively reflect the profound changes in Chinese manufacturing going global: shifting from scale expansion to quality cultivation, from price competition to value competition, and from "going out" to "going in."

The export of Chinese plastic machinery has undergone an evolution from simple exports to deep localization. Initially, companies mainly exported products overseas through trade; subsequently, they began to establish sales networks and after-sales service systems abroad. Today, leading companies have directly built factories overseas, achieving localized production and services.

In the early days, companies mainly participated in trade fairs such as the Canton Fair.Complete equipment exportSubsequently, to enhance competitiveness, the company began to establish itself in the target market.After-Sales Service CenterIntegrate accessory warehousing, technical support, and regular inspection functions to streamline the "last mile" service chain. For example, while setting up a factory in India, Borle Injection Molding Machine also strengthens local service capabilities through its subsidiary.

Image Source: Bole Intelligence

Establishing overseas production bases: Leading companies are moving quickly. Haitian International has already established production capacity in India and Mexico, and is building new capacity in Japan, Serbia, and other locations. Lesso Technology has set up production bases in several countries including the United States, Indonesia, and Thailand. At the same time, they are steadily advancing the preparation work for building production bases in Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and other countries based on market capacity.

Image Source: Southern Industry Think Tank

The overseas expansion of plastic product companies like Liansu Technology has also created opportunities for upstream plastic machinery equipment manufacturers to go abroad. After Liansu establishes production bases overseas, its procurement and maintenance of production equipment will naturally generate localized demands, providing conditions for plastic machinery companies to follow their downstream clients in going overseas.

For Chinese plastic machinery companies planning to go global or already venturing abroad, deeply understanding the characteristics of different regional markets and adopting differentiated strategies that match them is the key to success.

Chinese plastic machinery companies, in the process of globalization, have explored various effective localization strategies based on the characteristics of different regional markets, forming a wealth of practical experience.

In terms of expansion in emerging markets,The company has demonstrated a high degree of flexibility and innovation. Taking the Cambodian market as an example, JSK Yonghua Company addressed the local issue of unstable voltage by developing a special stabilizing mechanism with their technical team, effectively ensuring production precision. At the same time, the company keenly identified the strong demand for preform production in the area and promptly provided customized injection molding machines, successfully entering the market. In the Indian market, Yizumi Company invested 100 million yuan to build a factory, establishing a localized production base and service platform, and quickly developed specialized machine configurations to meet the unique needs of the Indian market. Their three-platen machines and high-speed packaging systems have all achieved good performance.

Image source: Yizumi official WeChat account

In terms of tackling mature marketsThe company has adopted a differentiation strategy. Yu Jin Plastic Machinery has avoided the "price war" of traditional screws in the European and American markets, focusing on high-end screws required by industries such as medical and optics. The added value of these products is more than five times that of traditional products, and they have won a stable clientele in Europe and America with reliable quality.

Southeast Asian market as a key region.Toshiba Company has strategically positioned its electric injection molding machines as a breakthrough, successfully entering the Thai and Vietnamese markets with outstanding machine performance and gaining high recognition from local customers. Fuqiangxin Company has established direct overseas channels by setting up subsidiaries in Indonesia and Thailand, as well as offices in the Philippines and Vietnam, achieving a transformation from "agency" to "regular army" operations, greatly strengthening its sales and service capabilities. In terms of diversified layout, Fuqiangxin Company has implemented product specialization in its factories located in Taiwan, Dongguan, and Ningbo, with Ningbo focusing on medium to large machines, while standardizing blueprints and supply chains for cost reduction and efficiency improvement. The company has also positioned its Indian factory as a foothold in emerging markets and is attempting to build an integrated platform to provide customers with one-stop purchasing services.

Particularly noteworthy isThe innovative model of the entire industrial chain going overseasJiahe County, by attracting whole machine assembly enterprises and supporting enterprises such as Shidai Zhongtian, is striving to build the third largest injection molding machine manufacturing industry cluster in the country. The local government provides comprehensive services to ensure that enterprises can quickly settle and commence production. At the same time, online expansion also shows great potential. Under the organization of government departments, the Zhoushan screw cluster led 40 plastic machine screw companies to participate collectively in online exhibitions. They engaged in "one-on-one" video meetings with South Asian buyers, showcasing themselves as a regional brand and effectively expanding their international "circle of friends."

These vivid examples demonstrate that Chinese plastic machinery companies are transitioning from simple product exports to deep localized operations and global resource integration, providing the industry with diversified paths for international expansion.