The air compressor industry chain consists of three major segments: upstream raw materials and components, midstream manufacturing, and downstream application sectors.

• Upstream: The primary raw materials for air compressors are currently in an oversupply state. In recent years, prices in the steel and non-ferrous metals markets have generally shown a downward trend.
• Downstream: As the core component of gas supply systems, air compressors convert mechanical energy from a prime mover (typically an electric motor) into compressed air energy. They are widely used in industries such as petrochemicals, electric power, metallurgy, mining, and national defense.

From 2010 to April 2022, China emerged as the world’s leading source of air compressor technology, accounting for 73% of global patent applications in the field. Japan and the United States followed, contributing 10% and 5%, respectively.

Within China, Guangdong Province leads in patent filings for air compressors, with a cumulative total of 28,171 applications. Other provinces with over 10,000 applications each include Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shandong. The top ten regions in patent filings also include Shanghai, Anhui, Beijing, Tianjin, Hubei, and Hunan.

Driven by China’s economic transformation and strong energy-saving and emissions-reduction policies, environmental consciousness is increasingly influencing all industries. As a result, end users of air compressors are placing higher demands on energy efficiency.
Due to the technical complexity involved in producing high-end, energy-efficient air compressors, there are relatively few manufacturers in this segment. However, these products demonstrate clear advantages in energy consumption and efficiency compared to their low-end counterparts. Some products have already achieved Level 1 national energy efficiency standards, and are gradually replacing traditional low-efficiency units. Demand for energy-efficient air compressors is now entering a period of rapid growth.

The digitalization, networking, and informatization of air compressors represents the direction of market and application development.
With the rise of mobile internet, air compressor operation and after-sales service are becoming more convenient and streamlined. For manufacturers and distributors, the Internet of Things (IoT) offers opportunities to optimize operations, improve overall efficiency, and reduce costs in operations, logistics, and production. It also enables a shift from passive after-sales services to proactive maintenance, helping boost sales of core components.

Although China is still undergoing industrialization and remains behind developed countries in many areas, the “Made in China 2025” initiative marks the country’s first ten-year roadmap for becoming a global manufacturing power.
In the future, China will continue to intensify efforts to promote industrial transformation and upgrading, completing the strategic shift from a manufacturing giant to a manufacturing powerhouse. As a key segment of general-purpose machinery, the air compressor industry is expected to continue growing along with the broader industrial sector.