Current Status of China’s Absorbent Hygiene Products Equipment Industry in 2026

I. Industry Overview

Absorbent hygiene product equipment refers to complete automated production lines and associated auxiliary equipment specifically designed for manufacturing disposable absorbent hygiene products. These systems cover the entire process—from raw material feeding, lamination, forming, and in-line inspection to finished-product packaging—and are characterized by high specificity, a high degree of customization, and high-speed continuous production.

1. Classified by product category (the four official industry categories)

2. Classified by technological level (high/middle/low end)

II. Value Chain of Absorbent Hygiene Products Equipment

The upstream segment of the absorbent hygiene products equipment industry comprises raw material suppliers and component manufacturers. Raw materials include various metal materials for processing, such as steel, stainless steel, and alloys, while components encompass sheet‑metal welded parts, castings, precision machined parts, as well as CNC systems and electronic components. The midstream consists of manufacturers of absorbent hygiene products equipment, and the downstream primarily serves hygiene product producers.

According to the Household Paper Professional Committee of the China Paper Association, Fujian and Guangdong provinces are the manufacturing hubs for disposable hygiene products in China, with over 700 hygiene product manufacturers located in these two provinces as of 2018. Consequently, manufacturers of absorbent hygiene‑product machinery in China are highly concentrated geographically in these same provinces.

III. Current Status of China’s Absorbent Hygiene Products Equipment Industry

The increasing acceptance of disposable hygiene products in the Chinese market and emerging overseas markets, coupled with a large female consumer base, an accelerating aging population, and the implementation of the three-child policy, has driven growth in demand for feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, and infant diapers, thereby expanding the size of China’s disposable hygiene equipment market.

According to the data, the market size of China’s absorbent hygiene products equipment exhibited a fluctuating yet upward trend from 2019 to 2025, with the market value reaching RMB 5.35 billion in 2020 and growing to RMB 7.15 billion by 2025, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 4.95%.

By product category, in 2025 the infant care equipment market will account for 42.48%, while the feminine hygiene products equipment market will represent 39.23%. The adult incontinence products equipment market will hold a relatively smaller share, at just 10.47%, primarily because feminine hygiene products continue to evolve toward higher-end innovations. However, as population aging accelerates, the adult incontinence products market is expected to experience rapid growth.

By technology tier, the current market shares of high-, mid-, and low-end devices stand at 30%, 45%, and 25%, respectively, reflecting an industry structure characterized by a mid-range dominance, rapid growth in the high-end segment, and a gradual contraction of the low-end segment.

IV. Competitive Landscape of the Domestic Absorbent Hygiene Products Equipment Industry

With the continuous development of China’s economy, the Chinese absorbent hygiene products equipment industry is experiencing rapid growth, with expanding market potential and increasingly fierce competition.

From a brand‑landscape perspective, the market is divided into two major camps: international brands—led by Falmec, GDM, and Rinnai—dominate the ultra‑premium segment.

Domestic enterprises are organized into three tiers: the first tier comprises Anqing Hengchang, Quanzhou Hanwei, Jinjiang Haina, Jiangsu Jinwei, and Anhui Futian, which dominate the mid-to-high-end market and are accelerating domestic substitution; the second tier includes Zhejiang Xin Hongyu, Guangdong Jingtao, and others, serving regional brands and small to medium-sized manufacturers; the third tier—comprising small and micro‑enterprises or artisanal workshops, primarily focused on the low end—engages in low‑volume production for cost‑sensitive customers and is gradually being phased out.

V. Future Development Trends in Absorbent Hygiene Products and Equipment

In the future, absorbent hygiene‑product manufacturing equipment will evolve toward full‑line, all‑servo drive systems; high‑speed, high‑precision production; AI‑powered visual inspection; digital twin technology; rapid changeover; compatibility with biodegradable materials; and end-to-end, fully automated integration. The industry is characterized by five major trends: intelligentization, flexibility, green practices, domestic substitution, and service‑oriented solutions. Among these, adult incontinence products and medical care‑related equipment are leading the growth trajectory, with the pace of domestic‑made equipment replacing imports accelerating. Industry concentration continues to rise, as the sector undergoes a comprehensive transformation toward higher quality, greater efficiency, and low‑carbon, environmentally friendly operations.

1. Deep Integration of Intelligence and Automation

Key features: Equipment widely incorporates technologies such as servo motors, closed-loop control, and centralized control systems to enable multi‑station synchronization and flexible manufacturing. The integration of vision inspection, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics enhances defect detection accuracy and production stability, shifting the focus from “high speed” to “high stability plus high intelligence,” with an emphasis on overall efficiency rather than mere line speed.

2. Strengthening Green and Environmentally-Friendly Orientation

Manufacturers are accelerating the development of energy-efficient production lines to reduce material waste—through measures such as optimizing die‑cutting precision and lowering defect rates. Ultrasonic welding is replacing hot‑melt adhesives, and zero‑waste cutting techniques are being adopted to cut energy consumption and material waste, while also supporting the use of biodegradable materials.

3. Customization and flexible manufacturing have become the mainstream.

Consumer demand for “population‑specific products” (such as adult incontinence items and period panties) and “scenario‑driven functionalities” (such as makeup‑removing wipes and pet pee pads) is surging, driving rapid equipment retooling to accommodate small‑batch, multi‑variety orders. Customized solutions—including parent–child production lines and mini portable‑packaging lines—are becoming increasingly widespread.

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