Recently, a purchasing manager at a new energy auto parts company in the Yangtze River Delta shared his thoughts on WeChat Moments. Due to fluctuations in the global supply chain, geopolitical factors, and limited overseas production capacity, delivery times for imported high-end machine tools have generally increased to 6-12 months since 2024, with some scarce models even out of stock.

This change has created an unprecedented market opportunity for domestic high-end machine tools, long suppressed by imports. What exactly is this opportunity, and how can domestic manufacturers take advantage of it?

Opportunity 1: Technological breakthroughs + localized services to break the "can't use" mentality

Key components are manufactured in China: Kede CNC direct-drive rotary tables, Huazhong CNC HNC-848D CNC systems, and Hengli Hydraulics high-pressure lead screws have achieved advanced international performance standards, with some parameters (such as heat resistance) even surpassing imported products.

Fast service: Repairs to imported machine tools require a 1-2 week wait for foreign specialists. Domestic manufacturers promise "24/7 on-site response and problem resolution within 48 hours." A representative of a company producing new energy vehicles stated, "When equipment problems arise, the services provided by domestic manufacturers save more lives than those of imported brands."

Opportunity 2: Demonstration effect from top customers, opening niches in the premium market

A breakthrough in high-end domestic machine tools often begins with attracting leading customers. In 2024, several typical examples provided positive signals:

Aerospace: The COMAC C919 large aircraft project used domestically produced five-axis machines for the first time for high-volume machining of titanium alloy parts, achieving a consistent yield of 99.2%, approaching the level of imported equipment.

"Confirmation from leading customers is the most powerful advertisement," stated the marketing director of one domestic machine tool company. These examples convinced small and medium-sized manufacturing companies that high-end domestic machine tools are not a "spare tire," but a choice capable of taking on responsibility.

Opportunity 3: Policy + Capital to Accelerate Industrial Upgrading

The 14th Five-Year Plan for Intelligent Manufacturing sets a clear goal of achieving a "domestic production rate of over 40% for high-end machine tools." Supportive measures in various regions (such as subsidies for primary equipment and tax incentives) are promoting the development of domestic production of high-end machine tools. Meanwhile, capital market interest in domestically produced machine tools has soared. In the first half of 2024, funding for listed companies in the machine tool sector increased by 120% year-on-year, with particular attention paid to bottlenecks such as five-axis machines and CNC systems.

"Policy support combined with capital investment will enable domestic manufacturers to increase R&D investment," said Wang Ruixiang, vice president of the Federation of China Machinery Industry. He noted that by 2024, the share of R&D investment in domestic high-tech machine tools will increase to 8-10% overall (compared to the industry average of 5%), further accelerating the pace of technological iteration.

Opportunity is a "window period" and a "protracted war."

Longer delivery times for imported machine tools have given domestic high-end machine tools an opportunity to gain a foothold in the market, but this is far from the limit. Whether they will truly succeed in establishing themselves in the market depends on three key factors: continuous technological progress, expanding the service network, and increasing brand trust.

As one domestic entrepreneur in the machine tool industry noted: "The 'supply crisis' for imported machine tools is a challenge, but it also presents an excellent opportunity for domestic high-end machine tools to prove themselves. By seizing this opportunity, we may be able to change the competitive landscape in the global machine tool industry."