"2025 Lithium Battery Equipment Orders Start Strong"

In early 2025, the Chinese lithium battery equipment industry ushered in a strong wave of orders, with many companies consecutively winning orders from domestic and foreign customers, indicating that the industry's prosperity has hit rock bottom and is rebounding, signaling the start of a new growth cycle. According to unofficial statistics, since January, top companies such as Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment (300450.SZ), Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation (688499.SH), Wuhan Yifi Laser Corporation (688646.SH), Shenzhen Yinghe Technology (300457.SZ), Shenzhen UTIMES Intelligent Equipment (688638.SH) have successively announced good news, covering key processes in lithium battery production such as coating, rolling, cutting, stacking, assembly, formation and capacity splitting, and complete production lines, and their customers include top European lithium battery manufacturers, globally renowned automotive brands, domestic leading battery companies, as well as emerging industry giants in energy storage, AI computing power, and others. Analyzing these "happy new year" orders carefully, there are noticeable common characteristics: Firstly, there is a strong trend of "going global." Companies like Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment, Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation, Shenzhen Yinghe Technology have made significant breakthroughs in the European market, with customers including top European lithium battery clients and well-known automotive brands, proving that Chinese lithium battery equipment companies have reached an international level of competitiveness and are deeply integrated into the global new energy industry chain. Secondly, the "headquarters" effect is evident. Order customers are all industry-leading companies or leaders in specific fields, such as "global leading lithium battery clients," "top European lithium battery clients," "domestic leading battery clients," etc. The expansion intentions of these top customers serve as an industry indicator, with their large-scale purchases providing scale and demonstration effects for equipment vendors. Furthermore, "complete line" solutions have become mainstream. Companies like Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment, Shenzhen Yinghe Technology emphasize providing "complete line solutions" or "core equipment support for the entire process," indicating that lithium battery equipment is moving towards integrated and comprehensive solutions from single equipment supply, providing customers with more efficient and integrated production line construction services. Lastly, the speed of "technical" iteration is increasing. Wuhan Yifi Laser Corporation officially launched its new generation cylindrical battery high-speed intelligent assembly line, and delivered in batches the 46-series large cylindrical full-face ear battery assembly line, showing continuous evolution in large cylindrical battery technology, with higher requirements for equipment precision, efficiency, and flexibility driving equipment vendors to accelerate innovation and upgrades. At the same time, there is also a trend of differentiation in orders, indicating deep-seated changes in the industry: Diversification of application scenarios. Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation won the bid for an AI computing server new base intelligent factory construction project, indicating that the application areas of lithium battery equipment are expanding from power batteries to energy storage, AI computing, and other emerging industries, opening up growth opportunities. Diversification of customer structure. In addition to traditional battery companies, new players such as vehicle manufacturers, energy storage companies, AI computing companies are entering the market faster, becoming important new increments in the market, demanding higher levels of equipment customization, flexibility, and service capabilities. Upgrading of the value chain. Energy storage cells, large cylindrical batteries, etc. require higher equipment performance accuracy, leading to an increase in value for post-production testing equipment, non-standard customization, driving the extension of the equipment value chain towards high-end, providing equipment vendors with greater profit space. This round of "order frenzy" is not just a simple cyclical rebound, but the result of multiple factors resonating together. Since 2022, the lithium battery industry has undergone structural adjustments, new capacity growth has slowed down, and equipment demand and prices have been under pressure. However, in 2025, the global lithium battery demand began a recovery cycle. In the domestic market, the demand for production line upgrades is releasing, leading battery companies like Contemporary Amperex Technology, BYD Company Limited, Eve Energy Co., Ltd. actively expanding production, combined with further exploration of new technologies such as large cylindrical batteries, solid-state batteries, driving equipment upgrades and replacements. It is worth noting that companies that have secured a position early in the solid-state battery and large cylindrical battery equipment, as their equipment development highly depends on technological inputs and feedback from battery manufacturers, will have a more obvious competitive advantage. In the overseas market, energy transition policies and the burst of the energy storage market are driving the recovery in demand for power batteries and the surge in energy storage capacity installations. Overseas battery manufacturers are restarting capacity expansion, leading to a faster growth rate in lithium battery equipment demand compared to domestic demand. The peak of overseas project bids in the second half of 2024 will lead to bulk order delivery in 2025. New entrants and vehicle manufacturers accelerating their entry into the battery industry also drive the demand for complete line equipment. Non-standard customization and higher requirements for energy storage cells will effectively increase the value of the equipment. Looking ahead to 2025, the lithium battery equipment industry is expected to emerge from its low point and return to an upward trend. This article was originally published on the "High" public account and edited by GMTEight: Jiang Yuanhua.