Opportunities and Challenges of Copper Alloy Materials in the Bathroom and Refrigeration Industries [SMM Copper Conference]

On April 22, at the CCIE-2025SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference and Copper Industry Expo - Copper Pipe & Tube Processing Industry Development Forum, hosted by SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd., SMM Metal Trading Center, and Shandong Aisi Information Technology Co., Ltd., co-sponsored by Jiangxi Copper Corporation and Yingtan Land Port Holding Co., Ltd., and specially co-organized by Shandong Humon Smelting Co., Ltd., with the assistance of Xinhuang Group and Zhongtiaoshan Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd., Zhang Guodong, Sales General Manager of Jiangxi Oudi Copper Co., Ltd., shared insights on the theme "Opportunities and Challenges of Copper Alloy Materials in the Bathroom and Refrigeration Industries." I. Current Application Status Household HVAC systems, dual-supply systems, (1) Plumbing and Bathroom Industry (2) Refrigeration Industry 1. Key Role in the Air Conditioning Sector: Mainly used in air conditioner evaporators, condensers, compressor coils, pipelines, functional valves, and accessories. 2. Wide Application in the Refrigerator Sector: Mainly used in evaporators, condensers, compressor coils, pipelines, joints, and other accessories. 3. Relatively Stable Market Demand: Taking household air conditioners as an example, global production reached 200 million units in 2024, with a very large ownership base. Additionally, the replacement cycle for air conditioners is generally 10-15 years, creating a continuous loop. II. Application Development Trends (1) Technological Innovation Drives Performance Improvement Alloy Composition and Process Optimization: By optimizing alloy composition and processing techniques. Breakthrough in Nanotechnology Application: Preparing nano-coatings on copper material surfaces to enhance the strength of bathroom products and improve their antibacterial, self-cleaning, and other special properties, meeting consumer health demands. Technological Innovation Boosts Industry Upgrading: Technological innovation drives copper and copper alloy material producers to continuously upgrade and enhance their market competitiveness. (2) Health and Green Environmental Protection Become Development Directions 1. Production Process Optimization Enterprises continuously optimize production processes to reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions, improving quality and efficiency. 2. Improving Internal and External Recycling Utilization Enterprises internally recycle water, waste heat, and waste materials, improving secondary copper recycling technology to effectively reduce costs. 3. Health and Green Development Drive Industry Transformation Physical health is paramount, and energy conservation and emission reduction are the directions. (3) Customization Demand Promotes Product Diversification Customization in the Bathroom Industry: With the continuous improvement of living standards and production processes, individual needs and aesthetic differences have made personalized, intelligent, and modular custom products a trend. Customization in the Refrigeration Industry: To meet different usage scenarios and customer needs, the refrigeration industry has seen various customized non-standard products, reducing waste and saving energy. Customization Drives Market Expansion: Customized products meet the diverse needs of consumers and clients, helping enterprises expand market share and increase product market share. III. Development Trends of Alternative Materials (1) The Rise of Plastic Materials in the Bathroom Industry Discussed from the perspectives of cost and processing advantages, performance gaps and application limitations, competitive landscape, and market impact. (2) Competition of Aluminum Alloy Materials in the Refrigeration Industry 01 Cost and Weight Advantages: Low price and light weight. 02 Performance Shortcomings and Application Limitations: Thermal conductivity is much lower than copper, limiting application scenarios. 03 Competitive Landscape and Industry Impact: Copper prices continue to rise, and usage continues to expand. (3) Competition of Stainless Steel Materials in the Refrigeration Industry (1) (3) Competition of Stainless Steel Materials in the Refrigeration Industry (2) IV. Challenges Faced (1) Unstable Raw Material Supply Secondary Copper Supply Issues: Tight supply, large gaps, reliance on imports, and frequent price inversions. Copper Concentrate Resource Issues: Shortage of copper ore resources, heavily influenced by the political and economic situations of major copper-producing countries. High Supply Risks: Various unstable factors increase production costs and operational risks for enterprises. (2) Increasing Cost Pressure Impact of Copper Price Fluctuations: More funds and effort are needed to cope with the risks brought by price instability. Other Cost Factors: Increases in energy, environmental protection, and labor costs also add to the cost pressure on enterprises. Cost Pressure and Enterprise Survival: Enterprises' management costs continue to rise with increasing copper prices, necessitating breakthroughs to find survival strategies. (3) Rapid Changes in Market Demand Changes in Bathroom Industry Demand: With the continuous improvement of living standards, consumer demand in the bathroom industry has shifted from basic functionality to personalized, intelligent, healthy, and green environmental protection needs. Changes in Refrigeration Industry Demand: With the advancement of energy conservation and emission reduction policies, consumers' energy efficiency requirements for refrigeration equipment have increased, prompting enterprises to adopt new technologies and materials to improve product energy efficiency. Market Demand Changes and Enterprise Adaptation: Rapid changes in market demand and intense competition among enterprises require timely adjustments based on their own strengths and weaknesses. V. Response Strategies and Future Outlook (1) Strengthening Supply Chain Management Expanding procurement channels, improving secondary copper recycling, hedging to avoid risks, and enhancing supply chain management and enterprise competitiveness. (2) Continuous Innovation and Technological Upgrading (3) Expanding Emerging Markets Seizing Opportunities in Emerging Economies: Actively exploring emerging markets to balance the reduction gap caused by copper material substitution. Strengthening International Cooperation: Enhancing cooperation with international producers, leveraging local resources abroad, and expanding international market channels. Reducing Market Dependency Risks: Increasing customer group diversity to balance the proportion of large clients and markets. Emerging Markets and Industry Prospects: Rigid demand in new markets, continuously focusing on and seizing opportunities. (4) Future Outlook The application development trend of copper and copper alloys in the bathroom, plumbing, and refrigeration industries will inevitably be the result of balancing production processes, material costs, and performance requirements. Click to view the special report on CCIE-2025SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference and Copper Industry Expo.