Kings 3D Breaks Ground on $70M 3D Printing Hub in China

Kings 3D Group, a prominent Chinese additive manufacturing company, has announced the development of a major new 3D printing hub in Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province. The project, which represents an investment of approximately 500 million yuan (about $70 million USD) and spans 25 acres, aims to significantly enhance the 3D printing infrastructure in the region.

This new hub is expected to produce up to 1,000 3D printers annually and boasts a production capability of 5,000 tons of 3D printing materials per year. The facility will provide a comprehensive range of services across the entire 3D printing lifecycle, establishing a state-of-the-art ecosystem for the industry.

The establishment of such a large-scale hub by Kings 3D Group follows a series of strategic expansions and technological advancements by the company. Recently, at an event hosted by its Additive Manufacturing Research Institute in Zhuhai, Guangdong, Kings 3D Group showcased its latest technological achievements and introduced several new products. These include the DiMetal-500M, a quad-laser metal powder bed fusion printer designed for industries such as automotive and aerospace, and the LASERADD-600, a hybrid machine that combines additive and subtractive manufacturing capabilities.

Kings 3D Group has been a significant player in the 3D printing industry since its establishment in 2007, growing from a focus on stereolithography (SLA) to encompass a broad array of polymer and metal 3D printing technologies. This growth is reflective of the broader expansion of the 3D printing industry in China, which has been supported by substantial government funding and increased competition both within the country and internationally. This trend is discussed in much more depth in the recent “The State of Chinese Additive Manufacturing: Market Opportunity Brief” from AM Research.

The new hub in Pinghu is poised to further enhance Kings 3D Group’s production capabilities and market presence. While the company’s prior focus on SLA may have meant competition with the country’s other SLA leader, UnionTech, both firms have since broadened their scope. Now, numerous companies throughout China have begun manufacturing a wide variety of technologies that overshadow the breadth of the portfolios by businesses in Europe and the U.S.

This could be read in part as general competition between these firms, which is possible due to the sheer size of the Chinese market,  but it could also mean that a large country like China needs companies that represent regional hubs as supply chain disruptions impact not only international trade but intranational. However, we should also expect to see some of these companies consolidate, specialize in niche markets to differentiate their offerings, and diversify into related services and products. Meanwhile, companies like EPlus3D, Bright Laser Technologies, and Farsoon have already expanded internationally to avoid domestic market saturation.