News flash

On October 25th, Dr. Wu Hao, President of GRAEFF Asia Pacific and China, visited Chain Plastic Network. Dr. Wu Hao, General Manager of Chain Plastic Network, gave an in-depth introduction to the current development status of Chain Plastic Network and the progress of key project operations.

During the inspection process, Dr. Wu Hao highly praised the platform innovation and business development of Chain Plastic Network, and fully affirmed its strategic layout in industrial chain integration, market expansion, and other aspects.

General Manager Gui Shuangshuang stated to Dr. Wu Hao that Chain Plastic Network will continue to provide customers with higher quality products and services. At the same time, she also emphasized the responsibility and responsibility of Chain Plastic Network in environmental protection, energy conservation, and other aspects, stating that it will actively respond to national policies and contribute to achieving green and sustainable development.

When discussing the future development of the sensor and thin film industry in depth, Dr. Wu Hao believes that with the continuous progress of technology and the expansion of market demand, the development prospects of the sensor and thin film industry are very broad. He suggested that Chain Plastic Network continue to strengthen cooperation with well-known domestic and foreign enterprises and research institutions to jointly promote industrial development. In addition, he also reminded Chain Plastic Network to pay attention to industry development trends, seize opportunities, actively respond to challenges, and continuously improve its competitiveness.

Interview Transcript

This year, the market has been volatile, with constant style rotations and structural opportunities gradually emerging. How do you view this year's market conditions? How has GRAEFF performed in the market? What are its advantages?

GRAEFF is a company specializing in measurement and control in the fields of pressure and temperature, with core R&D members having over 90 years of research experience in the sensor field. Our brand boasts a comprehensive product portfolio spanning multiple fields of measurement and control, including pressure and temperature, which provides us with significant growth potential in the market.

We prioritize collaboration with distributors, optimizing and refining our distribution strategies to expand our competitive edge. Through an open business partnership platform, we engage with brand ambassadors, distributors, and channel partners to jointly explore the vast market opportunities in sensor technology, IoT, and automation systems.

This year, GRAEFF (Graff) established its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, China, which will help us further expand our market share.

In summary, the current market conditions have posed significant survival challenges for many companies, but GRAEFF (Graff) still holds a competitive edge in the market.

What is the future outlook for the thin film industry? In recent years, functional thin films have become one of the strategic emerging industries that China is accelerating the cultivation and development of. Lithium battery films, photovoltaic films, and energy storage film equipment have also become hotspots in the industry. What are the key developments in this area?

The thin film industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years, particularly in the field of functional thin films, which have become one of China's key strategic emerging industries. Currently, areas such as lithium battery films, photovoltaic films, and energy storage film equipment have garnered significant attention and are at the forefront of the industry.

The prospects for the photovoltaic film market are very promising. With the continuous expansion of downstream photovoltaic installation demand and the development of next-generation solar cell technology, the market share of double-sided double-glass modules is also gradually increasing. It is estimated that by 2023, China's new photovoltaic installation capacity will be between 95 and 120 GW; and by 2030, this figure will further increase to 120-140 GW. Additionally, thin-film solar cells, as a form of photovoltaic cells, have the potential to achieve lower production costs due to their reduced active layer material usage, making them a new growth point in the photovoltaic market.

In the fields of lithium-ion battery membranes and energy storage membranes, as the supply capacity of solar photovoltaic and new energy storage batteries improves, these sectors will also see further development. According to statistics, global thin-film battery production reached 8.28 GW in 2021, representing a year-on-year increase of 27.78%. This indicates that demand for thin-film batteries will continue to grow in the future photovoltaic energy market.

What challenges do you think the sensor industry is currently facing? Where do you see opportunities for breakthroughs?

I believe the main challenges currently facing the sensor industry include:

1. Insufficient technological innovation capabilities: Sensor technology spans multiple disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, and materials science. Currently, domestic sensor companies still lag behind international advanced levels in core technology R&D, particularly in terms of innovation capabilities in high-end sensor fields.

2. Incomplete industrial chain: The sensor industrial chain encompasses multiple stages, including design, manufacturing, packaging, and testing. Currently, the domestic sensor industrial chain remains incomplete, with certain critical stages still reliant on imports, which to some extent constrains the development of the sensor industry.

3. Talent Shortage: The sensor industry has a significant demand for talent, but domestic universities and research institutions currently have certain shortcomings in the cultivation of sensor-related majors, and the industry-academia-research collaboration mechanism is not yet fully developed, leading to a severe shortage of talent in the sensor industry.

Given these circumstances, I believe the breakthrough may lie in:

1. Increasing R&D investment to enhance independent innovation capabilities: Governments and enterprises should increase investment in sensor technology R&D, encourage enterprises to innovate technologically, and enhance the core competitiveness of China's sensor industry.

2. Improve the industrial chain and reduce reliance on foreign imports: Through policy support and industrial guidance, promote the improvement of the sensor industry chain, reduce reliance on imports of key raw materials and technologies, and increase the self-sufficiency rate of the domestic sensor industry.

3. Strengthen talent cultivation and recruitment to alleviate the talent shortage: Governments and enterprises should strengthen the cultivation and recruitment of talent in sensor-related fields to enhance the overall talent level of the sensor industry.

How does GRAEFF (China) plan to develop and position itself in the domestic market in the future?

Our business strategy centers on three core areas: digitalization, intelligence, and environmental protection. By integrating internet platforms, a global R&D system, and local business needs in China, we are committed to developing innovative products and measurement control solutions that meet the needs of domestic customers. I believe that in the vast domestic market, GRAEFF will undoubtedly achieve further growth.

GRAEFF is a British multinational group of companies specializing in the research, development, production and sales of melt pressure sensors, temperature sensors, industrial sensors, intelligent sensors, intelligent controllers and automation control systems.