'Better, faster, stronger' imported equipment

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The more smart machines the world uses, the faster and more efficient our lives will be. China is one of the world's top markets for production equipment, and it's moving quickly to engage with high-end smart manufacturing.

One company that deals with 3D printing in Zhuhai said it has experienced “better, faster, stronger” promotion, thanks to imports.

Print-Rite, based in the Zhuhai Free Trade Zone (FTZ), has German printers turn out metal components in shapes that are impossible for traditional mechanics.

They work wonders, said Print-Rite Chairman Arnold Ho.

He also said the best part about 3D printing is not actually the machine.

3D Printing. / VCG Photo

"The most crucial part in our line is having the design. Nearly every industry could use this technology, but it's the ideas that apply that are at the heart of our business. And you can see here how we've put it to use," Ho said.

The printouts go into aviation, healthcare, art, and other sectors.

The imported printers, costing 2 million yuan (about 290,000 US dollars) per unit, work with metal, while domestically made printers work with plastics and resin.

It is expensive equipment, and for Ho, a great investment.

"Let's take molding, for example. Before, when you experiment with a new one, you can only make a batch and it takes so long to make, test and twist each detail," Ho said.

"But now, 3D printers allow you to make just one and tailor it on the spot. So when a new module used to take a year to develop, with 3D printing, it's just a month."

Ho said it's “better, faster, stronger” production, thanks to the equipment.

And it's not just Print-Rite, companies in the area have imported some 80-million-yuan worth of manufacturing equipment as of October.

Authorities say the more the companies can import, the more they can benefit.

Companies within the Zhuhai FTZ get a sort of payback, based on how much they spend on new equipment.

Donald Choi, chief of the Investment and Trades Promotion Bureau with the Zhuhai FTZ Administrative Committee, said the area has always encouraged companies to use imported equipment to boost growth.

"Since 2015, nearly 70 percent of enterprises here have benefited. And this contributes to the area's goal of a 'modern industrial system,' with IT, the aviation support industry, bio-medical and business services industry at its core," Choi said.

Choi also said the favorable policies will continue.

Zhuhai FTZ. / Photo by Zhuhai FTZ Administrative Committee