The textile industry has long been a labor-intensive sector, and with the diminishing demographic dividend in China, the need for industrial transformation and upgrading has become urgent. Mechanization, automation, and intelligent technologies have emerged as powerful tools to modernize traditional industries, reduce reliance on manual labor, increase efficiency, and ease workforce recruitment challenges. This shift has marked the beginning of China’s "machine substitution" movement.
Zhejiang Province was among the first to implement this initiative. In early 2013, the provincial government launched a “four-change†project—covering cage change, machine substitution, space exchange, and e-commerce—to foster a new economic development model. According to the Zhejiang Provincial Economic and Information Commission, the program has shown significant success after more than a year of implementation.
One major benefit is cost reduction. Surveys show that 61.5% of enterprises reduced frontline staff by over 10%, while 68.9% cut production costs by more than 5%. For every percentage point decrease in cost, profit increased by about one percentage point. Additionally, labor productivity saw substantial improvements. Over 30% of companies reported increased productivity, with 16.6% seeing growth between 20-30%, and 29% experiencing gains of 10-20%.
Product quality also improved significantly. With machines offering greater precision than manual operations, nearly 98.3% of companies noted better product quality post-substitution. Energy consumption also dropped, with 86.3% of surveyed companies reporting lower energy use.
In Keqiao District, the textile industry played a central role in this transformation. From January to September this year, 661 technical projects were completed, with 15.342 billion yuan invested, mostly in textile-related upgrades.
Lanxi City, known for its weaving and denim production, initiated its own "machine substitution" efforts. By replacing manual tasks with automated equipment, local companies received government subsidies to support the transition. Hundreds of enterprises participated, with over 70 implementing the program successfully.
Shaoxing also took action, focusing on automation and digitalization in the printing and dyeing industry, achieving notable results.
Despite these successes, challenges remain. The textile industry still lags in full-scale intelligence. For example, over 97% of Chinese textile firms use manual methods for doffing, compared to over 85% in Europe and the U.S. This gap signals growing demand for automation in the coming years.
However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face hurdles such as high costs, difficulty in financing, and lack of skilled labor. Many enterprises find it hard to justify the investment, with over 71% citing high costs as a major barrier. Maintenance and training further add to the burden, with many SMEs struggling to adapt.
Experts suggest that "machine substitution" doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Small enterprises can focus on automating specific processes, like knitting or weighing, which are labor-intensive but simpler to automate. Others can integrate single-spindle automation, allowing for unmanned workshops or minimal supervision.
As the industry evolves, textile machinery companies must innovate, enhance service models, form technical alliances, and strengthen intellectual property protection. These steps will not only help them meet market demands but also ensure long-term competitiveness in an increasingly automated world.
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