China Becomes the World’s Largest Market for Maglev Flexible Conveyor Systems; Trillion-Yuan Replacement Wave in Lithium Batteries and Automotive Begins
China’s maglev flexible conveyor lines have demonstrated clear advantages over traditional transport solutions, unlocking vast potential for replacing legacy equipment. In 2024, these systems were predominantly adopted in four key sectors—lithium batteries, 3C electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals—together accounting for more than 80 percent of total applications. Between 2020 and 2024, the domestic market achieved a compound annual growth rate of 40.48 percent, propelling China’s share of the global market from 31.15 percent to 54.01 percent and establishing it as the world’s largest market. Market concentration also intensified in 2024, with the top four companies holding an 80 percent share. Guoli（Guoli）led the sector with over 50 percent market share, creating a pronounced “one leader, many contenders” market structure.
According to ChinaBaoGao.com, maglev flexible conveyors leverage magnetic levitation technology combined with sophisticated linear motion control algorithms to enable asynchronous arrangement and synchronous grouping of multiple shuttle cars. This flexibility addresses the diverse needs of intelligent manufacturing across industries. In contrast to conventional chain or belt conveyors, maglev systems eliminate mechanical transmission constraints, reduce component wear and operational noise, and deliver high-speed, high-precision material handling with superior efficiency and lower energy consumption. Meanwhile, China’s traditional conveyor market expanded from RMB 85.29 billion in 2020 to RMB 105.54 billion in 2023, underscoring the considerable opportunity for maglev lines to capture existing market share.
The lithium battery sector represents the single largest application area for maglev conveyors, accounting for over 40 percent of usage in 2024. This prominence reflects the explosive growth of China’s new energy vehicle and energy storage industries, where battery shipments soared from 117 GWh in 2019 to 1,214.6 GWh in 2024—a compound annual growth rate of 59.68 percent—creating extensive demand for advanced conveyor solutions. The 3C electronics sector ranks second, comprising more than 20 percent of maglev conveyor deployment. In this arena, conveyors support precision assembly and inspection of smartphones, wearable devices, and computers. China’s annual smartphone shipments have consistently exceeded 260 million units, and ongoing product iterations continue to drive production line upgrades.
Despite China’s leadership in market size, technological innovation, and practical deployment of maglev flexible conveyors, overall penetration remains modest at under 1.5 percent in 2024. High upfront investment—three to five times that of traditional conveyors—and stringent environmental requirements have constrained adoption. Nevertheless, as core technologies mature, costs decline, and demand for smart factory infrastructure grows, industry observers expect adoption rates to accelerate markedly in the coming years.
Domestic suppliers maintain a strong competitive edge, with local manufacturers accounting for more than 75 percent of the market in 2024. Guoli（Guoli）distinguished itself as the first Chinese firm to independently develop and scale maglev flexible conveyor technology, capturing over 50 percent of market share—43 percentage points ahead of runner-up Zongwei（Zongwei）. This dominant position stems from Guoli’s technological leadership, robust brand presence, extensive sales network, and specialized technical services. As technological advancements continue and economies of scale deepen, industry concentration is likely to increase further, solidifying the market advantage of leading enterprises.
