Photonics@China 2022

A recent study carried out on behalf of SPECTARIS and Messe München analyzes the potential, opportunities, and risks in China as a photonics market.

To coincide with LASER World of PHOTONICS 2022, the SPECTARIS association and Messe München published the Photonics@China 2022 market report. In the report, the technology consultancy firm Sinolumina Technology Group Ltd (SINOLUMINA) from Shenzhen provides a comprehensive analysis of the Chinese photonics market which is broken down into five user areas and their most important photonics applications. The consultants focus on trends and market opportunities in the automotive industry, in Industry 4.0, on the machine vision market, in medical technology and in the environmental sector.

On the basis of their high-resolution segment analysis, the authors then come up with a market forecast up to 2027. They predict annual growth of 6.5 percent in China’s optoelectronic industry, as a result of which the market volume will increase to around €150 billion in the next five years. Growth drivers in the automotive market are optical components and lasers for LiDAR sensors and cameras, smart headlights and head-up displays which project important information into the driver’s field of vision on the windscreen. According to the study, the growing quality requirements as the level of automated driving increases are opening up opportunities for foreign suppliers, while domestic photonics providers are exploiting high-volume product segments. SINOLUMINA expects to see strong growth in Industry 4.0 applications. According to its figures, demand for laser systems for industrial material machining in China will grow by 21.7 %—almost twice as quickly as global demand (11.4 %). The consultants expect annual sales of the laser systems used to produce lithium-ion batteries to reach €840 million, with a strong upward trend. Photovoltaic and LED production will also remain key drivers.

In the market analysis, the consultants look at how the market trends will affect demand for various laser technologies from solid-state and fiber lasers to ultrashort pulse technology. They also discuss how domestic providers are developing from a technological point of view as the market develops and which segments will offer opportunities for European, American or Japanese photonics providers in the future. In addition to this analytical part, the market report provides a practical overview of relevant regulations on a national and regional level as well as the subsidies available from local authorities. The study is rounded off by a detailed interview with Daniel Berger, a China expert at EAC International Consulting.

Download the study free of charge here: Photonics@China 2022