Technological innovation of industrial pumps

As the "heart" of the industrial system, industrial pumps play a key role in petrochemicals, energy, environmental protection and other fields. With the acceleration of global industrial transformation and the deepening of technological revolution, the industrial pump industry is facing unprecedented opportunities for change.

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1. Industry status: restorative growth and intensified competition

In 2024, the scale of China's water pump market will be about 145.4 billion yuan. Driven by new industries, new technologies and policy support, it is expected to achieve a restorative growth of 1%-2% in 2025. The global industrial pump market will grow from US$35.6 billion in 2020 to US$59.2 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%. The market presents three major characteristics:

Differentiation of the competitive landscape: International brands such as Ebara and Grundfos dominate the fields of energy and power, high-end manufacturing, etc. with high-reliability products; domestic companies such as Kaiquan and Nanfang penetrate into the high-end market through technological upgrades, and expand their share in the construction, municipal and other market segments.

Channel changes are accelerating: Industry direct sales focus on large customers such as municipal and industrial supporting facilities, and leading manufacturers bind long-term orders through framework agreements; distribution networks sink to third- and fourth-tier cities, but inventory pressure leads to intensified price competition.

Structural changes in demand: Municipal water conservancy and industrial equipment renovation have become growth poles, and real estate policies have supported marginal improvement in demand, but the traditional HVAC market has accelerated its decline.

2. Technological innovation: Energy saving and intelligent dual-wheel drive

Technological breakthroughs are reshaping the industry ecology:

Frequency conversion technology revolution: Grundfos TPE/CRE series pump units have obtained the first domestic frequency conversion energy saving certification, and the overall system optimization energy saving potential has reached 30%-50%, promoting the transformation of the domestic high-efficiency variable frequency pump market.

Intelligent control system: Leo Group's intelligent permanent magnet canned pump is equipped with a PMSM motor, which can adjust energy efficiency according to the working conditions to meet the needs of zero-carbon buildings; Kenfulai KICS cloud platform realizes the full life cycle management of equipment, and the fault warning accuracy rate exceeds 90%.

Material and process upgrades: High-performance alloys and composite materials improve corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Andritz vertical long-axis pumps have a test efficiency of 89%, refreshing the industry's energy efficiency benchmark.

These innovations not only reduce energy consumption and noise, but also improve operation and maintenance efficiency through intelligent management, helping the industry to transform towards green and sustainable directions.

3. Market demand: domestic demand recovery and export differentiation

The domestic demand market shows a structural recovery:

Municipal water conservancy: river basin management and sponge city construction drive the growth of demand for rainwater pumps and sewage pumps.

Industrial supporting: the intelligent upgrade of manufacturing industry has spawned the demand for low-energy and intelligent pumps, and the equipment renewal policy has promoted the transformation of high-energy-consuming industries.

New energy: the demand for corrosion-resistant and high-temperature-resistant pumps in the wind power and photovoltaic fields has surged, but some high-end markets still rely on imports.

The export market has both opportunities and challenges:

Chinese pump products are exported to Europe, the United States and emerging markets with their high cost-effectiveness, but high-end technology still needs to be broken through.

International giants integrate global resources through mergers and acquisitions, and domestic companies need to strengthen brand building and technical cooperation to expand to overseas high-end markets.

IV. Policy support: energy conservation and carbon reduction and industrial upgrading

Policy regulation has become a key driver of industry transformation:

Energy conservation and carbon reduction: The National Development and Reform Commission strictly controls refining capacity, promotes green technology, and ultra-long-term special treasury funds support energy conservation and carbon reduction transformation.

Industrial upgrading: encourage corporate mergers and acquisitions, increase industrial concentration, and support the export of high-end equipment.

Environmental protection standards: Enforce environmental protection laws and regulations, promote green design and production processes, and stainless steel pumps will replace traditional cast iron pumps.

5. Future trends: high-end, intelligent, and green

The industry will present four major development directions:

High-end: Break through key core technologies, develop high-end equipment, and enhance international competitiveness.  

Intelligent: Integrate the Internet of Things and AI technologies to achieve remote monitoring and predictive maintenance, and reduce operation and maintenance costs.

Green: Promote energy-saving and environmentally friendly pumps, use green materials and processes, and help achieve carbon neutrality goals.

Globalization: Strengthen international cooperation, expand emerging markets, and build a localized service network.                         

In the wave of global industrial transformation, industrial pump companies can only occupy the commanding heights in the fierce market competition by firmly grasping the dual engines of technological innovation and green transformation. In the future, the industry will accelerate its evolution towards high-end, intelligent, and green, injecting lasting power into the high-quality development of the industry.