New Investment in China's Metal Powder Industry: A Look at Additive Manufacturing
China's metal powder industry continues to see investment in production capacity and advanced manufacturing. Recent projects indicate that manufacturers are expanding beyond traditional powder production into metal additive manufacturing and related processing technologies.
According to industry reports published on November 4, 2026, Beikuang New Materials announced a planned project in Jiangsu Province with a total investment of approximately RMB 3.06 billion.
The project is expected to include facilities for metal powder production, material processing and additive manufacturing. Its planned annual capacity includes 7,500 tonnes of powder materials and 15,000 additively manufactured products.
The investment reflects growing interest in high-performance metal materials and more advanced powder processing technologies in China.
Metal Powders Used in Different Manufacturing Processes
Metal powders are used in a wide range of industrial applications. Their chemical composition, particle size and physical properties vary according to the manufacturing process and end use.
Some of the main applications include:
Powder Metallurgy (PM)
Iron-based powders are widely used to manufacture automotive parts, mechanical components and structural parts through pressing and sintering.
Metal Additive Manufacturing
Stainless steel, aluminum alloy and other metal powders are used in 3D printing to produce components with complex geometries.
Metal Injection Molding (MIM)
Fine metal powders are mixed with binders and processed to manufacture small, complex components used in electronics, automotive and other industries.
Special Alloy Applications
Pre-alloyed and high-alloy powders are used where specific mechanical, magnetic or corrosion-resistant properties are required.
Material Quality Remains Important
As powder-based manufacturing develops, selecting the right raw material remains essential.
For powder metallurgy, customers commonly evaluate apparent density, flow rate, compressibility, particle size distribution and chemical composition.
For metal additive manufacturing, particle morphology, particle size distribution, flowability and oxygen content are also important considerations.
Different applications require different powder specifications. A powder suitable for conventional pressing and sintering may not be appropriate for metal 3D printing.
This is why material selection and consistent quality control remain important throughout the supply chain.
KPT Iron Powder and Metal Powder Products
Shanghai Knowhow Powder-Tech Co., Ltd. (KPT) specializes in iron powder and metal powder manufacturing in China.
Our main products include:
Water-atomized iron powder
Reduced iron powder
Pre-alloyed iron powder
Stainless steel powder
Fine and specialty metal powders
These materials are supplied for powder metallurgy, welding, cutting, friction materials, metal injection molding and other industrial applications.
KPT works with customers to select suitable powder grades according to their technical requirements and intended applications.
Contact us for product specifications, samples and quotations.