On May 9, 2026, a closed-door technical seminar was held in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, focusing on the creation of a national manufacturing innovation center for high-performance carbon fiber equipment and composites. The attendee list included experts from Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and officials from the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology. The core agenda: elevating the center, led by Jinggong Technology, to a national-level platform covering the entire carbon fiber value chain—from precursor to finished composites.
Background
The initiative comes as 2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, where high-performance carbon fiber and composites are designated as critical materials for strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, rail transit, new energy, and embodied intelligence. According to Chinese customs data, although China's carbon fiber import dependency dropped from 70% to about 45% in 2025, reliance on high-end grades (e.g., T800+) remains above 60%, especially in aviation-grade prepregs and large structural parts.
Sun Guojun, Chairman of Jinggong Technology, stated that the center is 'the first collaborative platform in China's carbon fiber field covering the entire chain from precursor, carbonization, equipment manufacturing to product application.' Unlike previous efforts that focused on single segments, this platform aims to close the loop from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor to final composite components, addressing the historical gap in equipment autonomy and application validation.
Industry Impact
For upstream equipment suppliers, the center signals accelerated domestic substitution. Li Aijun, President of Jinggong Technology, outlined six core directions, including 'breaking technical barriers and integrating industry resources.' For domestic manufacturers relying on imported carbonization furnaces and winding machines, this directly translates to cost reduction. Industry data shows that imported high-end carbonization furnaces cost CNY 30-50 million each; domestic alternatives could drop to under CNY 20 million, a reduction of over 40%.
For downstream buyers, the most immediate benefit is shortened product validation cycles. Currently, a wind blade manufacturer testing domestic carbon fiber may spend 6-12 months on everything from fiber testing to structural prototyping. The center's standardized full-chain validation services could cut this cycle significantly. Additionally, full-chain coordination may further drive down carbon fiber prices. Domestic T700-grade carbon fiber is currently around CNY 180 per kg, while international counterparts are 20-30% higher due to technology premiums. Once scale and integration effects kick in, the price gap could narrow to under 10%.
However, challenges remain. The carbon fiber industry is characterized by high investment, high technology barriers, and long return cycles. Experts at the seminar specifically highlighted the need to address the 'operational model' and 'expansion of application scenarios'—balancing competition among participating companies and penetrating larger civilian markets like automotive, wind energy, and sporting goods beyond aerospace.