2026 Autumn National Abrasives Industry Conference Concludes in Yinchuan

On September 20–21, the 2026 Autumn National Information Exchange Conference for the Abrasives Industry closed in Yinchuan, under the theme "Integrated Innovation, Moving Forward Hand in Hand - Charting High-Quality Development." Hosted by the Abrasives Branch of the China Machine Tool & Tool Builders' Association (CMTA), the two-day event drew more than 200 delegates from upstream and downstream enterprises, along with industry experts, to discuss the direction of the sector during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), technological innovation and supply-chain coordination. The meeting was chaired by Chen Peng of the Abrasives Branch, with Mu Donghui, Deputy Secretary-General of CMTA, delivering the opening address.

1. Opening: abrasives as a key enabler of precision manufacturing

In his address, Mu Donghui observed that abrasives and bonded abrasive tools are indispensable supporting materials for precision manufacturing, and that the performance of grinding wheels used on high-end machine tools is closely tied to the upgrading of advanced manufacturing. He briefly reviewed machine-tool industry performance in 2025 and in January–July 2026, and called on the abrasives sector to take the specialized, refined, differentiated and innovative (SRDI) path, deepen collaborative innovation across the supply chain, and speed up green and intelligent transformation - seizing the historical opportunity presented by the 15th Five-Year Plan.

2. Technical reports: SiC ceramics and the "dual engine" of conventional vs. superabrasives

Wu Lan'er, former dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at North Minzu University and a second-grade professor, delivered a report titled Silicon Carbide Ceramics Industry Development. Starting from the preparation of submicron-grade SiC powders, he walked the audience through the properties and process points of pressureless-sintered SiC ceramics, and benchmarked typical industry cases to analyze the strengths, gaps and future opportunities of the domestic and global SiC ceramics industry.

Li Zhengxin, an expert of the Abrasives Branch and chief scientist at the High-Tech Industrial Technology Research Institute of Henan University of Technology, gave a keynote titled Dual-Engine Drive: Conventional Abrasives and Superabrasive Tools - Application Areas and Market Outlook. His conclusion was clear: conventional bonded abrasives, thanks to their cost advantage and broad applicability, remain foundational consumables in traditional metalworking, construction and building materials; superabrasive tools (diamond and CBN) hold decisive advantages in high-precision, high-efficiency critical processes. The two product families overlap in some markets but each has irreplaceable value. Enterprises should build their strategy around downstream end demands and move toward higher-end, customized and service-oriented offerings.

For the diamond-tool industry in particular, this is a meaningful signal: superabrasives are not meant to replace conventional abrasives in every scenario, but to establish irreplaceability precisely where processes are hard, precision-critical and high-efficiency.

3. H1 2026 in one phrase: "involution and K-shaped divergence"

Chen Peng's report on the first-half 2026 economic performance of the abrasives industry summed up the period in two words: involution and divergence. Drawing on operating data of leading enterprises, export trade trends, and regional volume/price statistics for major products, he argued that, cutthroat competition, downstream demand shifts and tightening regulation are jointly reshaping the competitive logic of the industry. Steady operations, cost reduction, refined management and compliance have become the essentials of survival. The K-shaped split is widening: leading enterprises keep pulling away, while backward and low-efficiency capacity is being cleared out - a trend he expects to persist.

Looking ahead to Q4 and 2027, Chen judged that the industry retains ample resilience thanks to China's complete supply chain and global-leading market share, and will likely move forward steadily with moderate volatility. His advice: place "stability" at the core of corporate strategy, hold the line on operational safety, compete through differentiation, and use the 15th Five-Year Plan cycle to push transformation and upgrading.

4. Afternoon sessions: the draft "15th Five-Year" development proposal

After the morning plenary, two parallel sessions in the afternoon focused on charting the sector's path through the 15th Five-Year Plan. The expert panel meeting, chaired by Zhao Xinli, chief expert at Sinomach, introduced the draft Development Proposal for the Abrasives Industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan, built around a "1666" framework: one guiding principle, six development goals, six key tasks and six supporting measures. The draft takes stock of "14th Five-Year" gains and honestly names six outstanding problems: import dependence in key areas, structural overcapacity, high energy intensity, a weak digital foundation, lagging brand building, and shortages of innovative talent. The stated goal is a modern abrasives industrial system - innovation-driven, green and low-carbon, intelligent and globally competitive - by the end of the plan period, moving China from a large abrasives country to a strong one.

In the following "Supply-Chain Integration, Innovation for the Future" workshop, enterprise delegates converged on three points:

• Innovate in a closed loop - "market finds direction, direction drives R&D, R&D builds differentiation, differentiation wins the market," and evolve from a product manufacturer into a service-solutions provider.
• Improve quality and efficiency - on the product side, tighten management, upgrade equipment and testing, and refine standards; on the market side, broaden application fields and invest in service and brands.
• Upgrade through coordination - keep improving the collaborative innovation loop of "abrasive grains - bonded tools - equipment - auxiliary materials," and run joint R&D on grinding and non-grinding applications across downstream industries.

Closing

The two days closed in a lively atmosphere. Delegates broadly agreed that the conference has laid a shared foundation for high-quality development through the 15th Five-Year Plan. For makers of superhard consumables such as diamond tools, "higher-end, customized, service-oriented" and "differentiated competition" are not just slogans from the meeting - they are the practical path through the current involution cycle.

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Disclaimer: This article is a rewritten summary of a public report released by the Abrasives Branch of the China Machine Tool & Tool Builders' Association, provided for industry information only. Views and data cited here belong to the original speakers and the organizing body; we make no representation as to their completeness, accuracy or applicability, and this article does not constitute investment or business advice. For republication or citation, please contact huicetools and credit the original source.