The order curve for spunmelt nonwovens complete equipment is becoming a sensitive indicator of the industry's health. In the first half of 2026, Hongda Research Institute saw new contracts surge 148.7% year-on-year, with orders on hand rising 86.4%. Against a backdrop of cautious manufacturing investment, this growth is not an isolated event—it reflects both rigid demand for high-end production lines in downstream hygiene and filtration materials and signals an equipment renewal cycle driven by technological iteration.
The Logic Behind Order Surge
Doubling order growth rarely appears out of thin air. Breaking down Hongda's order structure reveals simultaneous demand pull and technology substitution. Domestically, the Fujian project passed acceptance, Hebei delivery made substantial progress, Zhejiang contracts took effect, and new customer intentions in Jiangsu warmed up—indicating domestic nonwovens capacity is not stagnant but consolidating toward differentiated, high-performance products. Overseas, smooth installation and technical service in Turkey and Poland confirm that Chinese spunmelt equipment is gaining acceptance in Europe on cost-performance and delivery reliability.
For equipment suppliers, an 86.4% increase in orders on hand means production capacity is largely locked for the next 12-18 months, enhancing supply chain scheduling and cash flow certainty. But for downstream buyers, the more important signal is that leading equipment makers' order backlogs may be lengthening—if you plan to add lines or upgrade, you need to start equipment selection and negotiations earlier, or delivery could become a bottleneck.
A Watershed in Technology Routes
Behind order growth is intensifying technological competition. Hongda's ionic liquid solvent bamboo fiber project, after three years of research, has entered pilot engineering design, with construction drawings scheduled for Q3. If industrialized, this route will transform raw material sources for regenerated cellulose fiber—bamboo offers cost and sustainability advantages over cotton linter and wood pulp, but solvent recovery efficiency and spinning stability have been challenges. Pilot progress means engineering issues are being resolved step by step; for downstream spinning and fabric enterprises, new raw material options may emerge.
The commercial delivery of the wide-width PE/PP bicomponent spunbond line is equally noteworthy. Bicomponent spunbond is core equipment for thermal-bonded nonwovens and hygiene materials; wider widths directly reduce per-unit investment and increase capacity. This market was previously dominated by European and Japanese firms. Domestic wide-width lines achieving commercial delivery means domestic users can obtain equivalent performance at lower cost, while forcing international players to adjust pricing—increasing buyers' bargaining power.
Digital Management and Industry Transmission
Hongda's full rollout of SAP and BIP systems, plus 11 institutional revisions, may seem like internal management moves, but from an industry perspective, it reflects the transformation of equipment manufacturers from 'selling machines' to 'selling services.' Intelligent, remotely maintained, lifecycle-serviced nonwovens lines require data integration as a foundation. When leading firms complete digital management upgrades, their response speed, spare parts supply, and process optimization capabilities will diverge from non-digitalized competitors.
This transmission eventually reaches end users: factories purchasing domestic equipment will receive not just hardware but process optimization suggestions and predictive maintenance services based on operational data. This means buyers' equipment management approaches must also upgrade—from simple acceptance to evaluating data interfaces, service agreements, and long-term cooperation.