The order curve for spunmelt nonwoven equipment is becoming a leading indicator of the vitality of China's nonwovens industry. In H1 2026, Hongda Institute's new contracts surged 148.7% year-on-year, with backlog up 86.4%. Together, these figures imply that production schedules for the next 12 to 18 months are locked in, signaling that downstream clients' willingness to expand capacity is far above the industry average.
Order Surge and Industrial Signals
The doubling of orders is not an isolated event. Public information shows that the growth comes from two directions: overseas projects in Turkey and Poland, and domestic deliveries in Fujian, Hebei, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu. This balanced global-local expansion suggests that demand for spunmelt equipment is not driven by a single market but by a global relocation of capacity in hygiene, filtration, and technical textiles.
For buyers, a 148.7% increase in contracts means longer lead times and tighter supply of core components. Historical experience shows that when leading equipment makers are fully booked, bargaining power shifts to upstream suppliers. Therefore, companies planning to upgrade lines should lock in technical agreements and delivery milestones early to avoid missing market windows due to scheduling conflicts.
Technology Paths: Bamboo Fiber and Bicomponent Lines
Beyond order numbers, technological progress is more noteworthy. The ionosolvent bamboo fiber project, after three years of research, has entered the pilot engineering design phase, with 3D modeling and engineering design completed on schedule. The construction drawings are expected to be completed in Q3. This means the green spinning route for bamboo fiber is moving from lab to engineering. If the pilot succeeds, it could directly challenge viscose staple fiber in premium hygiene applications.
Meanwhile, the wide-width PE/PP bicomponent spunbond line has successfully completed trial production and achieved commercial delivery with all performance indicators met. Bicomponent technology is key to balancing fine denier and thermal bonding strength, while wide-width design directly reduces unit production costs. For downstream users in hygiene and medical protection, this means lower basis weight and higher capacity at the same quality, potentially reducing unit costs by 8% to 12%.
Breakthroughs in multiple specialty fiber spinning processes suggest that Hongda is transforming from a single spunmelt equipment maker into a fiber material system solution provider. The implications are profound: future equipment purchases will not just be about buying a machine, but about acquiring a pilot platform that includes process recipes, control logic, and after-sales data.
Hidden Barriers in Overseas Delivery
The smooth progress of projects in Turkey and Poland demonstrates engineering service capability, but it also tests the balance between EU standards, localized service, and exchange rate risks. Overseas orders often come with strict acceptance clauses and spare parts commitments, and delays can erode all profits. Therefore, behind the 148.7% growth, companies must simultaneously enhance project management and supply chain resilience.
For domestic peers, the high margins of overseas markets are attractive, but not all companies have overseas installation teams and compliance capabilities. It is recommended that small and medium equipment makers enter through consortiums or subcontracting to gain installation experience before building their own service networks.
Digital Management and Delivery Capability
The full rollout of SAP and BIP systems, along with revisions to 11 regulations, may seem like back-office moves, but they directly affect delivery reliability. During periods of high order growth, the most common issues are frequent design changes, low material availability, and slow feedback on site problems. Digital systems integrate design, procurement, production, and shipping data to shorten response times. For customers, evaluating a supplier's digital scheduling capability is more credible than verbal promises of delivery dates.
Transmission: From Equipment Orders to Fiber Prices
A significant increase in spunmelt equipment orders typically leads capacity additions in nonwoven fabrics by about 18 months. Based on this, a wave of new spunmelt lines is expected to come on stream between H2 2027 and 2028, which will boost demand for polypropylene and polyester raw materials, potentially supporting fiber-grade polypropylene prices. At the same time, new capacity will intensify price competition in mid-to-low-end nonwovens, forcing companies to shift toward differentiated and functional products.