Lifting Eye Nut,Nut Eyes,Eye Bolt With Nut,Stainless Steel Eye Nut Kunshan Zhonggu Precision Hardware Co., Ltd. , https://www.zgfastener.com
Four powerful countries compete for Chinese machine tool market
**Abstract**
CNC machine tools are considered high-value investment products with a relatively small market size. However, due to their critical strategic importance in industrial development, governments around the world place significant emphasis on supporting and protecting the CNC machine tool industry. According to Luo Baihui, a senior researcher at Jinmo Machine Tool Network, the domestic CNC machine tool market is generally categorized into four main groups: domestically produced machines, American machines, Korean and Japanese machines, and European (primarily German) machines. Each of these categories has its own strengths and competitive challenges. Currently, high-end CNC machine tools are dominated by leading industrial nations such as the U.S., Japan, and Germany, which hold most of the core technologies.
**Comparison of Major National CNC Machine Tools**
1. **Japanese CNC Machine Tools – Dominated by Technology and Innovation**
Japan was among the first countries to develop CNC machine tools in 1958. Since 1978, it has consistently ranked first globally in both output and exports of CNC machines. The Japanese government has long supported R&D in this field through planning, regulations, and funding. Japan has drawn inspiration from Germany in terms of machine components and learned from the U.S. in CNC technology and systems, integrating and improving upon these to achieve remarkable results. After the 2008 financial crisis, Japan's CNC machine tool indicators declined sharply, but they began to recover from 2010 onward. In 2012, the share of CNC machine tool orders reached 97.5%, the highest in history. By 2013, the value of CNC machine tools had nearly returned to pre-crisis levels, with an output value of 87.9 billion yen and an export rate of 93.7%. The top four types of CNC machines in Japan were general-purpose CNC machines, flat rotary discs, grinding machines, and special-purpose CNC machines, with output values of 84.42 billion, 50.06 billion, 22.14 billion, and 2.05 billion yen respectively.
2. **U.S. CNC Machine Tools – High-Quality, But Heavy Import Dependence**
As the birthplace of CNC technology, the U.S. holds strong positions in design, manufacturing, and control systems. Despite being a world-class producer, the U.S. ranks third in global machine tool output and is also one of the largest importers of CNC machines. In 2012, U.S. CNC exports totaled $1.1 billion, while imports reached $4.51 billion—an increase of 29.9% year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2013, exports rose slightly by 2.2%, but imports fell by 11.6%. The U.S. continues to have a large demand for imported CNC machines, surpassing metal processing machines in import volume since mid-2012.
3. **German CNC Machine Tools – Known for Precision and Quality**
Germany developed its first CNC machine in 1956 and has maintained steady progress since then. German manufacturers combine traditional engineering with advanced electronics and information technology to continuously innovate. Siemens and Fanuc dominate the high-end CNC system market, with Siemens holding 80% of the market share. German CNC machine tools are renowned for their superior quality and performance, especially in key components such as motors, hydraulics, pneumatics, cutting tools, measurement systems, and CNC controls.
4. **Chinese CNC Machine Tools – Still Reliant on Imports**
China's first CNC machine was introduced in 1958, but today, most domestic CNC machines are low- to mid-range models. Over 90% of CNC systems in China are controlled by foreign companies, and the market share of domestic CNC machines is only about 70–80%. In 2012, the total output of CNC metal-cutting machines in China was approximately 206,000 units, a 16.2% decline compared to the previous year. Provinces like Liaoning and Zhejiang led production, with market shares of 24% and 21.5% respectively. In the first quarter of 2013, CNC machine tool imports decreased by 23.1% year-on-year, but the average unit price increased by 3.3%. This highlights the continued reliance on foreign technology and the need for further domestic innovation.