Yantai Hosts Founding of Printing and Dyeing Smart Manufacturing Committee: Industry Shift from Point-to-Point to Full-Chain Collaboration

The smart manufacturing transformation of China's printing and dyeing industry now has a dedicated industry-led body. On June 28, 2026, the Smart Manufacturing Technical Committee of the China Printing and Dyeing Industry Association was officially launched in Yantai, Shandong. This milestone signals a shift from isolated point-level upgrades to a systematic industry-wide transformation.

Background

The committee was established during the 7th Standing Council's 5th meeting of the association. The first committee is chaired by Sheng Shouxiang, chairman of Huafang Co., Ltd., with eight vice chairs including Xiang Zhong, vice dean of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and Wang Yan from the association's industry development department as secretary-general. The 31 members come from leading enterprises like Huafang and Shanghai Challenge Textile, universities, and research institutes, aiming to bridge R&D, production, and application.

Association president Lin Lin outlined three strategic goals: aligning with national manufacturing and digital strategies; enhancing the association's service capabilities; and breaking barriers between smart equipment, digital process control, industrial software, and application scenarios. These goals address the core bottlenecks of the sector's ongoing digitalization.

Industry Impact

Printing and dyeing is a critical link in the textile chain, but its digitalization lags behind other segments. Public industry data shows that while top-tier enterprises have achieved partial CNC control, most small and medium-sized firms are still at the single-machine automation stage. The committee's formation signals that industry organizations are now stepping into standard-setting and collaborative promotion.

The committee's work will focus on three areas: integrating AI and digital management systems from single-point use to full-process deployment; building a unified smart manufacturing standard system; and fostering industry-wide synergy for transformation. These address real-world pain points—incompatible equipment, non-standard data, and lack of successful benchmarks.

For printing and dyeing enterprises, this means an acceleration of standardized transformation in the coming years. Previously, companies faced difficulties in system selection, integration, and acceptance due to the absence of uniform standards. The committee's standard-setting work will be a priority, offering both challenges and opportunities for equipment and software suppliers.

Practical Suggestions

For Buyers - Monitor the committee's upcoming smart manufacturing standards and evaluation systems; these will become benchmarks for equipment and system procurement. - Include data interface standardization clauses in procurement contracts, requiring suppliers to commit to industry-wide communication protocols. - Prioritize suppliers that are already engaged with the committee; they are likely to be more forward-looking in technology and compliance.

For Exporters - International clients increasingly demand digital traceability in supply chains. The committee's standards will help enhance full-process traceability for exported printing and dyeing products. - Actively leverage the committee's technical outcomes as a competitive advantage in negotiations with European and American brands. - Compare domestic standards with international ones (e.g., ISO) once the committee's system is released, to avoid compliance gaps in cross-border trade.