A subsidiary of Chinese steelmaker Jingye Group signed an agreement on September 23 to build a RMB 5 billion (about $700 million) manufacturing base in Fengshun County, Guangdong Province. The deal, between the Fengshun County People’s Government and Jingye Future Smart Manufacturing (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd., calls for 400 metal 3D printers, 20 metal powder production lines and 100 metal injection molding (MIM) lines under one roof.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Total investment | RMB 5 billion (~$700M) |
| Phase one | RMB 2 billion |
| Phase two | ~RMB 3 billion |
| Metal 3D printers | 400 |
| Powder production lines | 20 |
| MIM lines | 100 |
| Projected annual output (full capacity) | RMB 10 billion |
| Jobs created | 1,000+ |
The plant will start with foldable-screen hinges and camera modules for smartphone suppliers, with powder lines feeding both the printers and the MIM machines, an arrangement meant to split the work: MIM for high-volume small parts, laser-based printing for complex geometries. Jingye says it plans to later move into structural parts for robotics, liquid-cooling components and medical devices. Construction is underway, with partial production targeted before the end of 2026.
Fengshun’s Deputy County Mayor Zeng Xiaoli and Jingye Future Smart Manufacturing head Han Xiaofeng signed the agreement, which local officials called the largest single industrial investment the county has attracted in recent years.
Jingye arrives in a market where titanium-hinge printing is already established: BLT’s printed hinge for Oppo’s Find N5 cut thickness from 0.3mm to 0.15mm and raised rigidity 36%, and suppliers are reportedly producing similar hinge modules for Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Whether in-house powder and scale let Jingye take share from BLT and other incumbents is not yet established.