Highlights of Chinese laser industry in recent years!

High power, high brightness, and miniaturization have become the mainstream direction of fiber lasers. High-power fiber lasers are still the main direction. Several companies in China now offer up to 60 kW continuous-wave (CW) fiber lasers. In addition, the focus on miniaturization and lightweight features represents another trend for fiber lasers.

The welding demand for pure copper is increasing rapidly in the new energy industry.We also see the emergence of blue lasers, up to 3500W, mainly driven by the production of electric vehicle batteries, metal 3D printing, and consumer electronics markets.

Reason:

Compared with the infrared (IR) wavelength of a standard fiber laser, copper can achieve a better absorption at the blue wavelength, which makes blue lasers very attractive in the field of power batteries. Compared with IR laser processing, a blue laser hardly introduces pores and splashes during welding and cladding processes, ensuring a smooth appearance and avoiding secondary processing. Additionally, using a blue laser enables the welding of pure copper with lower laser power; the welding process has a stable molten pool, which is energy-saving and environmentally friendly. With the cost reduction brought about by the widespread application, blue lasers are something to watch for the next few years in China.

New markets continue to emerge.The maturity of high-power laser processing technology and the improvement of high-power laser matching head performance have enabled laser technology to perform better in reducing carbon emissions, energy storage applications, and advanced manufacturing.

Green energy, new materials, and next-generation information networks are significant new markets for Chinese economic development today, and the Chinese laser industry has increasingly integrated into these megatrends. As a result, market potential constantly impacts fields like electric cars, 3C, healthcare, aerospace, high-speed trains, shipbuilding, and advanced manufacturing. Promoting green manufacturing is crucial for China to address climate change and achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

Capital investment becomes the primary theme of financing. Laser companies have become the darling of Chinese investors in recent years. More and more capital is entering the field of laser-related investment: Huawei's subsidiary Hubble Investment invested in EverBright Photonics, Focuslight, and Hitronics; Yingke PE invested in Max Photonics. However, today’s investors are more pragmatic. They are more interested in investing in hidden champions of the industry or leading public laser companies by splitting their high-quality assets in segmented markets and then listing them in the public market, thus achieving rapid liquidation of their investment. The hot areas include laser processing equipment, LiDAR, laser medical device manufacturing, laser CNC control systems, and laser optical components.

Related product links

Fiber Laser Cutting Machine