China's vacuum pump industry

The secret to the success of China's vacuum pump industry in the past decade lies in the four-dimensional synergy of technological breakthroughs, explosive demand, policy protection, and enterprise breakthroughs. Enterprises represented by Zhongke Instrument, relying on major scientific research projects such as the national '02 Special Project' and '863 Program', have taken the lead in achieving 'zero breakthroughs' in core components such as dry vacuum pumps and magnetic levitation molecular pumps, breaking the long-standing monopoly of Europe, America, and Japan. The ultimate vacuum degree of the product reaches 10 ⁻⁶ Pa, and the cleanliness meets the requirements of semiconductor 14nm processes. The downstream semiconductor wafer production capacity has jumped from 3.18 million wafers per month in 2020 to 8.85 million wafers per month in 2024, coupled with the explosive growth of the photovoltaic and lithium battery industries, driving an average annual growth rate of over 25% in demand for high-end vacuum pumps. At the policy level, the 'Classification Catalogue of Industrial Strategic Emerging Industries (2023)' and the 'Guidance Catalogue for Green and Low Carbon Transformation Industries (2024)' list vacuum pumps as strategic products and energy-saving equipment, combined with the 'Equipment Renewal Action' to form a strong driving force. The proportion of domestic high-end dry pump exports has increased by 37% in the past five years, and the export volume will reach 10.67 million units in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 11.47%, achieving a transition from 'import dependence' to 'global supply'.