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In-Depth Information
Chinese listed stocks
3D printing has actually been a big hype on China's stock market too. There are lists of 3D
printing stocks in the Chinese financial media with up to around 25 stocks listed. However,
most of these stocks cannot be defined as 3D printing stocks since they have no 3D printing
business at all. The problem is that the definition of 3D printing stocks in China is made too
wide. For example both laser technology and industrial optics are defined as ”3D printing
associated industry”, and many laser and optics companies are defined as 3D printing stocks
although their products are not used in 3D printing. Metal powder makers are categorized
as 3D printing companies even though their metal powder cannot be used in 3D printing. In
some cases it was enough that the company made public an intent to enter the 3D printing
industry to be branded as a 3D printing company (just like some western petty stocks).
There is some serious 3D printing development going on in China though. There are
3D printing research centers at major universities like Xian Northwestern Polytechnical
University, Xian Jiaotong University, Wuhan Huazhong University of Science and Techno-
logy, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Qinghua University in Beijing.
In 2014 Northwestern Polytechnical University signed an agreement with Airbus in order to
jointly develop 3D printed titanium alloy airplane parts.
The Beijing-based Asian Manufacturing Alliance and China 3D Printing Technology In-
dustry Alliance announced plans in 2013 to open 10 3D Printing Innovation Centers around
China, each with an investment of 20 million yuan. The first center was opened in Nanjing
in 2013. 3D printing technology has been supported in China for an extended time in the
national 863 and 973 research programs which are funded and administered by the Chinese
state in order to stimulate the development of advanced technologies.
There are a few listed companies worth mentioning in relation to 3D printing in China:
Nanfang Ventilator Co., Ltd. (300004)
: On the surface Nanfang Ventilator seems to be
a company that produces ventilation systems for tunnels and subways, but that is not the
whole story. Its subsidiary Foshan Nanhai Nanfang Ventilator Research Institute Co., Ltd.
completed the construction of the biggest 3D printer in the world in 2014. The equipment is
28 meters long, 23 meters wide, and 9.5 meters high. The printer can produce metal com-
ponents with a diameter of up to 6 meters and weighing up to 300 tons. The equipment
will be used for steel components in industries like nuclear, power, shipbuilding etc. Pro-
fessor Wang Huaming from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, one of Ch-
ina's most prominent 3D printing experts, has been involved in the project. He owns 31% of
Foshan Nanhai Nanfang Ventilator Research Institute Co., Ltd.
