Inkjet printers are devices that are precisely controlled by software and use non-contact methods to add labels to products. It mainly uses continuous inkjet technology, referred to as CIJ, to print important information such as production date, batch number, serial number, etc. on products. Inkjet printers integrate a number of high-tech technologies. Although the working principles are similar, each machine has its own unique features in terms of ink path, printing system and software control. Through the deflection of charged ink particles in a high-voltage electric field, inkjet printers can accurately print the required patterns, texts and numbers on the surfaces of various objects. It has a wide range of applications, from food to cosmetics, from medicine to auto parts processing, and even in industries such as wires and cables, aluminum-plastic pipes, tobacco and alcohol. Inkjet printers not only improve production efficiency, but also play an indispensable role in ensuring product quality and promoting packaging modernization. Its technical types mainly include continuous inkjet technology, on-demand inkjet technology and thermal foaming inkjet technology.
In recent years, in order to promote the green transformation of the packaging industry, the Chinese government has formulated a series of policies to guide the development direction of packaging-specific equipment and stimulate huge demand for green packaging-specific equipment. This series of policies has promoted the steady progress of inkjet printers towards high-end manufacturing.
The inkjet printer industry chain presents a clear structure. Its upstream links involve the supply of raw materials and parts, covering key materials such as software, electronic components, inks and synthetic resins. The midstream is the inkjet printer industry itself, focusing on the research and development, production and sales of inkjet printers. The downstream application areas are widely distributed in many industries such as building materials, food and beverages, and pharmaceutical industries.
The downstream application areas of China's inkjet printers are widely distributed, mainly covering many industries such as food and beverages, logistics and transportation, electronic manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. Among them, the food and beverage field has the largest demand for inkjet printers, accounting for as high as 14%; the logistics and transportation field is closely followed, accounting for 59%; the electronic manufacturing field accounts for 64%, and the pharmaceutical industry accounts for 13%. In addition, there are other fields, such as building materials, automobiles, etc., which also account for a certain proportion of the demand for inkjet printers, totaling 5%.
Global inkjet printer industry development status
With the growing demand in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, electronics, automotive and other industries, the inkjet printer market is continuing to expand. In recent years, the market has maintained steady growth, mainly due to the development of emerging markets and the promotion of technological innovation. In terms of printing technology, the inkjet printer industry has made remarkable progress, not only has the printing speed been greatly improved, but the printing quality has also been significantly improved. The application of digital and intelligent technologies, such as cloud connection, automation and remote monitoring, has further accelerated the development of the industry. According to relevant data, the global inkjet printer industry market size has reached approximately US$8.2 billion in 2022.
"2024-2030 China Inkjet Printer Industry Investment Opportunity Analysis and Market Prospect Trend Report" is carefully prepared by Zhiyan Consulting. The report deeply analyzes the investment hotspots, market potential and future development trends of the inkjet printer industry, providing investors with valuable reference.
China's inkjet printer industry development status
China's inkjet printer industry is ushering in unprecedented market opportunities, and the market scale continues to expand. It has become one of the world's leading inkjet printer markets. Behind this achievement, it is inseparable from the strong support of China's huge manufacturing and consumer markets. With the continuous innovation of intelligent and digital technologies, such as the widespread application of cloud connectivity, artificial intelligence, and big data analysis, China's manufacturing industry has reached new heights in production line integration and control. Especially in the food and beverage industry, inkjet printers play a vital role in providing accurate production date and traceability information for food packaging to ensure the rights and interests of consumers. Data shows that in 2022, the market size of China's inkjet printer industry has reached about 7.4 billion yuan, and the East China region, as the main gathering place, accounts for as much as 40%.
As one of the world's largest food and beverage markets, China has a huge demand for inkjet printers. At the same time, with the continuous improvement of the pharmaceutical industry's requirements for product compliance and quality control, the application of inkjet printers in drug packaging is also becoming more and more extensive. Inkjet printers can accurately mark information such as drug packaging, production batches and expiration dates, thereby ensuring the safety of patients' medication. In addition, the electronics and electrical industries also need inkjet printers to mark information such as model numbers, serial numbers and safety labels on products to provide reliable product identification and after-sales service support. Automakers and parts suppliers rely on inkjet printers to make permanent marks on automotive parts for effective tracking and identification throughout the supply chain. According to statistics, in 2022, China's inkjet printer production capacity is about 50,000 units, the output is about 930,000 units, and the demand is about 470,000 units, and the market is dominated by small products, accounting for as much as 41%.
Market competition pattern of China's inkjet printer industry
At present, China's inkjet printer industry is facing fierce competition. Although there are many domestic manufacturers, most manufacturers are still insufficient in high-tech, high-precision, and high-quality supporting products, resulting in poor product performance, poor stability and reliability, short service life, and unsatisfactory appearance design. The technical level of my country's inkjet printer equipment is still in the test and imitation stage, lacking technological innovation, weak independent research and development capabilities, and insufficient scientific research investment, all of which restrict the further development of inkjet printing technology. In addition, the development time of my country's inkjet printer industry is still short, and the capital strength of enterprises is relatively weak, and there is still a significant gap compared with internationally renowned brands. Although some companies in the market currently claim to have reached an industry-leading position, it is difficult to gain widespread recognition from the industry and the market. Some companies have exaggerated or even made false statements in their publicity, and their competition methods are inappropriate, resulting in a noisy and chaotic situation in the entire industry. At present, the dominant companies in the industry include Kangbao Zhongke Marking Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Jet Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Yida Packaging Equipment Co., Ltd., and Beijing Zhihengda Technology Co., Ltd.
Future development prospects of China's inkjet printer industry
Integration of digitalization and intelligent manufacturing
With the acceleration of China's manufacturing industry's digital transformation, the inkjet printer industry has ushered in new development opportunities. The integration of intelligent technologies, such as cloud connectivity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analysis, will enable inkjet printers to have more advanced remote monitoring, data analysis, and production optimization functions.
Increased demand for high-resolution and high-speed printing
In the face of the pursuit of higher printing quality and speed in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and electronics, future inkjet printers will pay more attention to the performance improvement of high resolution and high speed to meet the needs of clear and readable markings while improving production efficiency.
Environmental protection and green technology become core competitiveness
Against the backdrop of increasing attention to environmental protection and sustainability, China's inkjet printer manufacturers will actively adopt environmentally friendly materials and technologies to reduce waste and energy consumption. This includes using biodegradable inks, optimizing waste ink discharge, and designing more energy-efficient equipment.
Growing demand for smart packaging and product traceability
The development of the smart packaging trend will drive printer manufacturers to provide more integrated solutions to meet the requirements of consumers and regulators for product information traceability and security. Inkjet printers will be widely used to mark unique identifiers, QR codes, barcodes and other information on packaging to achieve product traceability and anti-counterfeiting functions.
