Recent Developments in the Hardware Industry: Exhibitions Yield Significant Results, and Industrial Diversification Progresses

        In the current economic landscape, the hardware industry continues to demonstrate vigorous vitality and development potential, with a series of major industry events constantly driving industrial upgrading and expansion.
        From March 16th to 18th, 2025, the 10th Western (Chongqing) Dazu International Hardware Expo was successfully held, causing a strong response within the industry. Themed "Connecting the World, Trading Globally," this expo attracted buyers from over 20 countries and regions worldwide. At the exhibition site, the results of Investment projects were fruitful, with a total amount exceeding 10 billion yuan. A total of 24 projects were signed, covering multiple popular fields such as intelligent manufacturing, new materials, new energy, and auto parts.
During the exhibition, the total offline transaction volume reached 82 million yuan, a historical high. It is understood that foreign buyers were very active, with intended cooperation amounts exceeding 1 billion yuan reached with domestic exhibitors, involving multiple categories such as tool hardware, construction hardware, and daily hardware. It is worth mentioning that this expo adopted a market-based exhibition model for the first time, using a professional Investment team to accurately target customers and linking with the Dazu Stone Carvings International Tourism and Culture Festival to share passenger flow, effectively expanding the influence of the event.
       In terms of industry data, as of February 2025, Yongkang's three major hardware prosperity indexes showed a pattern of one rise and two falls. Among them, the market transaction prosperity index closed at 96.71 points, a month-on-month increase of 2.99 points, while the factor supply prosperity index fell month-on-month. However, the market demand prosperity index, the operating efficiency prosperity index, and the overall judgment prosperity index all rose month-on-month. The production prosperity index closed at 96.21 points, a slight month-on-month decrease of 0.07 points, while the factor supply prosperity index slightly increased, and the other three sub-indexes slightly decreased. The foreign trade prosperity index closed at 93.54 points, a month-on-month decrease of 3.29 points. Except for a slight increase in the factor supply prosperity index, the other sub-indexes adjusted downward month-on-month. In addition, the Yongkang hardware e-commerce index fell slightly, while the innovation index and the industry chain index rose slightly, reflecting that industrial development is in a stage of differentiation and adjustment.
Financial support for the hardware industry has also taken solid steps forward. Leling Rural Commercial Bank, based on local industrial characteristics, has increased its credit support for the hardware processing industry. Targeting the three major hardware industrial parks within its jurisdiction, bank staff conducted multiple visits, using methods such as concentrated promotion and individual visits to thoroughly understand the capital needs of enterprises. For example, 1.3 million yuan in working capital loans were provided to Leling Yijia Yuan Machinery and Mould Co., Ltd., solving the problem of purchasing raw materials due to increased orders and an increased variety of product demands. At the same time, the bank focuses on launching the "Five Metal Easy Loan," a dedicated product for industry customers. So far, it has provided credit support to 21 small and micro enterprises in the hardware processing industry, issuing loans totaling 102 million yuan.
       The 30th China Hardware Expo, registration for which will open at 8:00 am on July 1, 2025, is also highly anticipated. As an important exhibition in the hardware industry, it has always been a key platform for showcasing new products, technologies, and materials. The 29th Expo attracted a large number of foreign buyers, set up an imported hardware boutique exhibition area, and jointly established a hardware city market area with China Science and Technology Hardware City for the first time, greatly promoting communication between exhibitors and audiences, and releasing a positive signal for industry development.
In summary, the hardware industry, under the impetus of exhibitions, financial support, and its own structural adjustments, is steadily moving towards diversification and innovation. In the future, it is expected to occupy a more advantageous position in both domestic and international markets and achieve greater breakthroughs and development.