Chinese Printer Brands - Market Study

China is the global leader in printer and copier sales, generating approximately $2.3 billion in revenue in last year.

The country’s printer and copier market is expected to grow by 0.83% annually through 2028. 23.66 million printers and copiers will be distributed throughout China. Emerging Chinese brands are bringing changes to the market.

With China's printer and copier market showing consistent growth, we have decided to conduct a comprehensive study to analyze the trends, challenges, and opportunities within the industry.

The 3D Printer Market Explosion

Without question, the most significant emerging Chinese printer market is for 3-D printers. The 3-D printer market is expected to reach a value of approximately $50 billion by 2025, a far cry from a decade ago when the market value was just under $6 billion.

China and other Asian printer brands offer cheaper alternatives to costly 3-D printers marketed in North America.

Global 3D Printing Products and Service (2020-2026)

(Source: Statista)

The market for 3-D printers is still growing as new uses for this technology emerge. 3D printers are already used extensively in many industries, including construction, automotive, aerospace, and medical technology. As unique needs arise, the market will continue to grow and specialize.

Emerging Chinese 3D Printer Brands

1. Anycubic: a range of affordable 3D printers for both professionals and beginners.
2. Creality: Offers a wide range of 3D printers with different printing sizes and capabilities.
3. Tronxy: fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers.
4. Geeetech: FDM, Delta, and SLA 3D printers.
5. FlashForge: a range of 3D printers, including FDM, SLA, and SLS (selective layer sintering).

It's worth noting that while these brands are considered "emerging" in North America, they have been around for several years and have already gained a significant market share in China and other countries.

However, they may still need to achieve a different level of recognition or reputation than more established brands in the global market.

VIDEO Top 5 Best 3D Printers (2023)

The UV Printer Market

Like 3-D printers, the Chinese market for UV inkjet printers is booming. These printers are used to print on non-paper surfaces.

They dry and cure with ultraviolet light, turning acrylic monomers into polymers. UV prints are durable and resistant to fading and water damage.

Some of the leading UV printer manufacturers in China include:

• Guangzhou Teco Digital Technology Co., Ltd. - manufactures UV digital printing equipment.
• Shanghai Colorjet Industry Co., Ltd. - manufactures UV, textile, and eco-solvent printers.
• SinoColor Printing Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. - makes a variety of large-format UV printers.
• Shanghai Yindao Digital Technology Co., Ltd. - manufactures UV and eco-solvent printers.
• H&F (Guangzhou) Intelligent Technology Co., Limited manufactures UV, sublimation, and textile printers.
• Shanghai Orinjet Digital Technology Co., Ltd - makers of UV printers and other digital printing press equipment.

VIDEO Watch this before buying a budget UV printer from China (or anywhere, for that matter)

Inkjets Replacing Traditional Offset Printing

According to Inkjet Insight, the number of small businesses using high-speed inkjet printers increased from 41 in 2015 to 800 in 2021. Most of these high-speed inkjets, 70%, are monochrome machines that print school books and manuals.

The following Chinese printer brands have made significant inroads in the high-speed inkjet printer market.

• Founder - this company uses Kyocera print heads in its EagleJet P4400CHD and EagleJet P5600CHD printers.
• Shandong INKJ - backed by Fuji Corp, this company’s INKJ DT 440/560/660/880 web-fed presses use water-based pigment inks.
• Kaiwei Anyin - uses Epson print heads and proprietary nano pigment ink in its ColorSail460 printer.
• Weifang Donghang Graphic Technology Inc. - manufactures the HTS-220-5C label press under the brand name Haotian.
• Beijing Jiaruiyang Technology Co., Ltd. - makes cut-sheet and web-fed inkjet printers with Epson printheads, including the JRY i460 digital printing system and UVI320 label digital UV inkjet.
• Shenzhen Runtianzhi Digital Equipment Co., LTD (RTZ) sells specialized printers under the FLORA brand name, including UV, textile, corrugated, ceramic, and label printing.
• Shield Technology - makes high-end digital inkjet equipment, including the M and G series of web-fed inkjets.
• Guangzhou Pulisi Technology Co. - manufactures the Pulisi AOBEAD DPIM330, a UV inkjet label press that uses Epson printheads.
• Shenzhen Wonder Printing System Co., Ltd. manufactures specialized roll-to-roll and sheet-fed aqueous and UV ink printers for corrugated board printing.
• Jiangsu Kesi Electromechanical Engineering Co. Ltd. (COASO) - manufactures the iCueLabel 420, a UV inkjet, and Presto 370 UV LED press.
• Guangdong Arojet Inkjet Technology Co., Ltd. (AROJET) - manufactures the water-based ink Dongfang Keyin 440 printer and EM-313W label press.
• Wuhan Yifang Information Engineering Co., Ltd. (ENVOVE) - manufactures inkjet label presses under the Topjet brand and Image PRNA3500 two-color water-based ink cut-sheet press.

VIDEO: Addressing the myths of high-speed inkjet printing

Chinese Printer Brands Coming To America

Some Chinese printer brands are expanding into the US market, challenging China-based printer titans that have been here for years.

• Guangdong Xerox: a joint venture between Xerox Corporation and the Guangdong Province Government, Guangdong Xerox manufactures a wide range of printers, including laser printers, inkjet printers, and multifunction printers.
• Mijia: Mijia is a sub-brand of Xiaomi that offers a range of smart home appliances, including printers. They are known for their affordable and innovative products and have expanded to international markets. It's possible that they may consider expanding to the US market in the future.
• Creality: A 3D printer manufacturer based in China, Creality has made many inroads into the US, which makes a move into the American inkjet market a natural fit.
• Anet: Anet is another Chinese 3D printer manufacturer that recently expanded its product line to include traditional FDM printers. The company's 3D printers have acquired a sizable stateside following which would make it easier for the company to build a US client base should it enter the inkjet or laser printer market.

These are just a few of the many new Chinese printer brands coming to America. With their competitive prices and high-quality products, these brands quickly gain market share from traditional US brands.

VIDEO Xiaomi Instant Pocket Photo Printer Review

Trends in the Chinese Printer Market

While the printer brands listed above may be unknown to the American marketplace, many of these companies have been around for decades in China and have developed a large, loyal base of customers.

China is the world’s largest manufacturer, especially regarding advanced technology and cutting-edge electronics.

Chinese printer manufacturers excel at specialized machines, like label printers, corrugated box makers, and other professional packaging equipment.

Very often, these China printer brands use printheads and other machine parts from known industry leaders, like Epson and Kyocera. This trend will likely continue as Chinese manufacturers try to fulfill the desire for affordable specialized printers.

China will undoubtedly lead the way in manufacturing 3D printers in the years ahead. The nation’s massive manufacturing centers are fine-tuned for producing digital equipment, and 3D printing is an extension.

As the uses for 3D printing increase — and prices come down — expect China to lead the world in manufacturing low-cost 3D printers.

Rob Errera

Rob Errera is an award-winning journalist embedded in the world of printers and printing supplies. Rob has nearly two decades of experience writing about cutting edge technology, business trends, and the ever-evolving industry of printing.