Manufacturing is an important pillar of national prosperity and an important support for building strategic advantages for future development.
Standing at a new starting point in the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan”, we will pay attention to the development of China’s sewing machinery industry.
As a key component of the light manufacturing industry, the sewing machinery industry is an important support for the digital upgrading of downstream textile and apparel, automotive interiors, home furnishing and other fields. It is also a typical representative of my country’s high-end equipment manufacturing industry.
First, let’s learn about the sewing machinery industry.
Its main products are divided into two categories: household sewing equipment and industrial sewing equipment.
The predecessor of household sewing equipment is the blackhead household sewing machine in “Three Turns and One Ring”. Now it has evolved into multi-functional household sewing machines, all-in-one sewing and embroidery machines and other new products, which not only meet daily sewing needs, but also carry fashionable and personalized sewing art culture.
Industrial sewing equipment covers the equipment and software and hardware systems required for the entire production process before, during and after sewing. It is the core key equipment that supports daily production and intelligent upgrades of many manufacturing industry chains.
It is estimated that more than 70 million workers around the world operate various types of sewing equipment for production every day. Meeting the consumer needs of billions of people around the world for clothing, housing, transportation, and supplies are all closely related to sewing machinery.
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s sewing machinery industry accelerated the construction of a new industrial system and achieved a leap from “scale leadership” to “digital intelligence leadership”.
The scale of the industry is growing steadily and manufacturing capabilities are world-leading. China’s sewing equipment production has accounted for more than 87% of the world’s share, and CNC equipment accounts for more than 90%. Product quality has greatly improved, reaching the world’s advanced level, and some indicators surpass international brands.
Many companies in the industry have performed well. 21 companies have won the title of “Little Giant” for specialization, nearly 10 companies have won the title of individual manufacturing champion, and there are too many future factories and smart factories.
Innovation drives the world, and the industrial ecology is becoming increasingly perfect.
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the total number of industry patent applications exceeded 36,000, and substantial breakthroughs were made in the independence of core technologies.
Industry scientific research investment accounts for an average of 5.43% of revenue, which is higher than the national manufacturing R&D investment intensity.
The popularization of smart sewing complete solutions such as smart workshops and digital factories is accelerating, and the transformation from production-oriented manufacturing to service-oriented manufacturing is accelerating.
“Development and application verification of autonomous sewing robots” has been included in the national key research and development plan tasks.
The industrial structure continues to be optimized, and the market structure is accelerated.
The product structure adjustment has achieved remarkable results, promoting the digital transformation of the industry, improving international competitiveness and expanding revenue scale.
Intelligent sewing equipment is growing rapidly, and sewing equipment is constantly being upgraded to mid-to-high-end.
The industry’s export volume increased from US$2.363 billion at the end of the “13th Five-Year Plan” period to US$3.986 billion at the end of the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. The market covers nearly 200 countries and regions, and the export structure continues to be optimized and upgraded.
In recent years, scientific research and innovation in the industry have continued to deepen, industrial scenarios have expanded to new markets, and China’s core position in the global sewing machinery industry has become increasingly solid.
For the development of the industry during the “15th Five-Year Plan”, the association has set quantitative goals, including high-end sewing equipment accounting for 50% of the total product volume and service-based manufacturing revenue accounting for more than 30%.
The basis for formulating these goals is the profound heritage accumulated by the industry over decades of development and the determination and confidence of the enterprise.
The “Guiding Opinions on High-Quality Development of China’s Sewing Machinery Industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan” provides clear action guidelines for industry development.
The association will strengthen overall coordination and promotion, strengthen innovation leadership and incentives, and strive for policy support. Enterprises will also make their own plans to jointly promote the realization of goals.
In terms of artificial intelligence, China’s sewing machinery industry actively responds to the “artificial intelligence +” action.
At present, “artificial intelligence + sewing equipment” continues to emerge and achieve mass production, and national key research and development plan projects have also made phased progress.
In the next five years, the industry will follow the guidance, focus on core needs, deeply apply and integrate new generation information intelligence technology, improve the independent controllability of key technologies and industrial chains, promote the upgrade of stand-alone intelligence to system-level intelligence, and strive to form key technology reserves and intelligent new products with international leadership in the world.
