Reporters recently learned from CITIC Heavy Industries that its self developed 60 ton feed chute trailer for export completed full machine commissioning at its Luoyang headquarters in Henan Province, with all performance indicators meeting design specifications. The fully domestically manufactured equipment breaks the long term overseas monopoly on similar products and serves as another landmark achievement for China’s high end heavy machinery going global. Two feed chute trailers in this batch will be exported to gold mines in Australia for core tasks including liner replacement for large semi autogenous mills and ball mills. This niche breakthrough in mining machinery fits market demand amid global mining recovery and vividly reflects the “stable volume plus improved quality” trend of China’s heavy machinery exports.
Data from the China Heavy Machinery Industry Association shows that from January to February 2026, total import and export volume of China’s heavy machinery sector reached USD 8.872 billion, up 27.18% year on year. Exports hit USD 8.382 billion, surging 29.39% YoY, and the trade surplus expanded to USD 7.955 billion (+31.72% YoY). The industry sees sound growth with rising export volume and improving product quality. By segment, mining machinery exports soared 61.85% YoY and material handling machinery rose 28.83%, acting as major export drivers. Though metallurgical machinery exports dipped slightly by 6.25% YoY, the proportion of high end products in its exports climbed steadily.
From Single equipment Exports to End to end Service Solutions
The high growth momentum carried on into Q1. Industry leaders including CFHI, SINOMACH Heavy Industry, CITIC Heavy Industries, Taiyuan Heavy Industry, Dalian Heavy Industry and Northern Heavy Industries seized opportunities brought by global mining recovery and deepened Belt and Road cooperation to accelerate global expansion and deliver strong export results. Notably, as industrial competition intensifies, business models are rapidly evolving. Enterprises are shifting from traditional single equipment exports toward integrated “technology + engineering + service” full chain overseas solutions. This transition not only raises export added value and customer loyalty but also provides vital support for high quality development of the heavy machinery sector.
Dalian Heavy Industry emerged as a dark horse in Q1 exports. Its contracted export orders hit a record high USD 490 million, jumping 300% year on year. This achievement stems from its long term international operation strategy and continuous business transformation. In recent years, Dalian Heavy Industry has transformed from single equipment supplier to EPC general contractor providing full process services and kept making breakthroughs in global high end equipment markets. Its turnkey EPC project for the Onslow Iron Mine in Australia recently hit a key milestone: completing the 200th shipment of iron ore and the 2,000th transshipment operation. The project runs stably and efficiently at its designed capacity of 35 million tons per year, with well coordinated mine, transportation and port production systems in full stable operation.
While Dalian Heavy Industry achieved explosive export growth via EPC contracts, SINOMACH Heavy Industry also further tapped overseas engineering markets and speeded up its EPC business expansion across multiple regions.
In its 2025 annual report, SINOMACH Heavy Industry stated that it had secured a string of landmark EPC contracts such as the integrated steel complex project in Cameroon and the daily regulation reservoir project in Kyrgyzstan. It kept deepening localized operations in traditional key markets like Cambodia, and successfully transformed its EPC business from concessional loan based projects to parallel cash payment and diversified business modes.
Ultra large scale Manufacturing Capabilities Open Global Markets
China’s ultra large scale heavy equipment manufacturing strength also opens doors to global markets. As one of the world’s few enterprises capable of extreme scale manufacturing for major technical equipment, SINOMACH Heavy Industry focused on national strategic demands in 2025 and made major breakthroughs in products such as C630R high pressure rotor forgings for 630℃ ultra supercritical double reheat power units and cast steel ball valve components for the world’s largest hybrid pumped storage power station. These internationally leading core components strongly support national energy security and power grid optimization projects and serve as solid business calling cards overseas. Leveraging its technological edge in key ultra supercritical unit parts and large pumped storage equipment, its exports of relevant high end equipment surged more than 40% year on year in 2025. It successfully entered high end energy equipment markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, acting as a core driver for overseas revenue growth.
Meanwhile, the company actively supports construction of large scale scientific facilities. It delivered BESTTF coil boxes to support cutting edge nuclear fusion research. Its cutting edge manufacturing expertise expands boundaries for overseas cooperation and lays a technical foundation for international projects in nuclear power and new energy. Technological advances are directly translated into market competitiveness. In 2025, SINOMACH Heavy Industry delivered remarkable financial results: operating revenue hit a record high RMB 13.875 billion (+9.48% YoY); overseas revenue proportion rose to 18% (+35.6% YoY); non recurring profit deducted net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 416 million (+29.48% YoY). These solid results underpin export growth in 2026 and deeper expansion into energy equipment markets of Belt and Road partner countries.
CFHI also competes globally with cutting edge technologies. It holds nearly 90% of the global market for core nuclear power forgings. At the end of 2025, it posted a quarterly profit of over RMB 27 million, with its loss narrowed by 56.93% year on year. Benefiting from its technological advantages in nuclear power forgings and large cast and forged parts, CFHI contributed greatly to the steady export growth of the heavy machinery sector in Q1. Leading Enterprises Proactively Expand Global Footprints
Strong Q1 export performance results from dual drivers: recovering global market demand and domestic policy support. Global metal prices stayed high in Q1 2026, with copper ore, iron ore and lithium ore prices climbing over 20% year on year, pushing global mining capital expenditure into an upward cycle. According to GF Securities, global mining capital expenditure will increase by a total of 50% from 2024 to 2030. In Africa, 75% of excavator demand comes from copper, gold and lithium mining, directly driving China’s mining machinery exports up by 61.85% YoY. Meanwhile, infrastructure demand in Belt and Road partner countries remains robust. In Q1 2026, exports of China’s heavy machinery to these economies accounted for 43.4% of total heavy machinery exports, rising 24.6% YoY. Accelerated industrialization and urbanization in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia create huge incremental space for sector exports.
Powerful policy support is also in place. In 2025, the Ministry of Commerce together with the General Administration of Customs revised the Catalogue of Encouraged Export Goods and Technologies. Thirty seven categories of heavy equipment, including full face rock tunnel boring machines and complete manufacturing services for main nuclear island equipment of million kilowatt level nuclear power plants, were included in export credit insurance premium subsidies. Annual related premium subsidies reached RMB 980 million and lifted sector exports by 11.7%. Li Wei, High end Manufacturing Analyst at Zheshang Securities, commented: “The global mining boom resonates with deepened Belt and Road development. Together with strong policy backing, they fuel heavy machinery exports, and this favorable trend is expected to last for 2 3 years.”
Enterprises are seizing this historic opportunity. The Secretary of the Board of CITIC Heavy Industries stated that accelerated overseas investment by Chinese mining firms plus high gold and copper prices have boosted global mining capital expenditure. The company’s mining equipment exports are rising steadily with improved product quality. To deepen overseas market development, CITIC Heavy Industries has set up multiple overseas institutions in Spain, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Chile and other locations, expanding its business across Europe, Australia, South America, North America and Africa, covering nearly 70 countries and regions. Going forward, the company will keep implementing the dual circulation strategy, seize Belt and Road opportunities, further expand international markets, enhance global brand influence and achieve strategic upgrading toward the upper end of global industrial and value chains.
It is noteworthy that export “quality improvement” manifests not only in order volume but also in upgraded product mix and global expansion modes. Chinese heavy machinery enterprises keep raising R&D investment to break core technology bottlenecks, greatly improving product performance, reliability and intelligence level. For instance, CITIC Heavy Industries devoted 7% of its revenue to R&D in 2025. The new site of the State Key Laboratory for Intelligent mine Heavy duty Equipment was put into operation. Multiple high end pieces of equipment were developed and delivered. Products such as high end nuclear power forgings and mining use seven axis hydraulic robotic arms have reached internationally advanced standards.
Seizing High quality development Opportunities amid Changes
Despite strong Q1 export performance, the industry still faces multiple challenges in globalization. 2025 annual reports of many listed heavy machinery enterprises point out intensifying geopolitical conflicts, rising global trade protectionism and growing uncertainties for overseas projects. Sharp exchange rate swings and prominent cross border settlement risks lengthen capital recovery cycles for overseas projects, creating constraints on corporate EPC and high end equipment export businesses. Meanwhile, technological competition in high end nuclear power, large cast and forged parts and new energy heavy equipment grows fiercer. Global giants dominate high end markets while domestic competitors speed up technical iteration, lifting industrial entry thresholds. Insufficient R&D investment and slow core technology breakthroughs may lead to loss of high end orders. In addition, price volatility of special steel and high end cast and forged raw materials pushes up production costs. High external dependence on certain key components may cause risks such as delivery delays and component supply interruptions amid global supply chain fluctuations.
To mitigate geopolitical economic risks, leading enterprises accelerate global strategies and improve overseas sales networks, service systems and production bases. Dalian Heavy Industry set up on site project service teams in Australia and Morocco to provide full lifecycle operation and maintenance services. Taiyuan Heavy Industry built 12 overseas marketing service centers for rapid responses in key markets. SINOMACH Heavy Industry deployed local production bases in Southeast Asia and Africa to cut costs and lift market share. Chen Yushuang, Chief Machinery industry Analyst at Caixin Securities, commented: “Leading enterprises have evolved from ‘product export’ toward ‘capacity export’ and ‘service export’. Localized production and services help bypass trade barriers and speed up market responses, which is a key reason for China’s rising global heavy machinery market share.”
Regarding future industrial development, Li Wei suggested: “Enterprises should keep increasing R&D investment and focus on breakthroughs in key technologies such as intelligent control systems.” Reporters learned that CITIC Heavy Industries has built a digital lean manufacturing platform with 100% of core production data digitized. It has deployed “AI + advanced scheduling” and “AI + safety management” systems, lifting production scheduling efficiency by 30% and high risk early warning rate above 90%. It has developed integrated technologies for intelligent mining crushing and grinding equipment and built AI powered smart mine demonstration projects. Deep integration of big data analytics and artificial intelligence with equipment enables dynamic and precise control of ore grinding processes, raising ore processing capacity by 15%.
Looking ahead to full year 2026, China’s heavy machinery exports are expected to maintain growth. In the long run, driven by sustained global mining prosperity, deeper Belt and Road cooperation and accelerated high end transformation of enterprises, the golden era for China’s heavy machinery global expansion will continue. Chen Yushuang holds that “The industry has formed a high quality development pattern with independent innovation as core, domestic demand upgrading as foundation and global layout as extension. Leading enterprises are poised to further increase global market share relying on their strengths in technology, brand and services.”
鲁公网安备37081102000580号