Report on operation of Chinese superhard industry in 2023

Objectives: It is important to analyze the status of each industry, which provides not only a direct vision but also a vital reference to all. Methods: The operation of China's superhard industry in 2023 was analyzed based on an in-depth investigation, as well as the national macroeconomic statistical data and the import and export data collected by customs in China, the United States, the European Union, and Japan. The overall development of the industry was explored and then compared with internationally advanced products. Results: Firstly, there are increases in sales volume of superhard material, but a general decrease in that of superhard products except diamond wire saws. This is mainly due to the great consumption of wire saws on diamond particles. The price are going down, especially those of gem-grade diamonds and wire saws, but not for cBN, saw blades, ceramic grinding wheels and resin grinding wheels. Secondly, China has provided the majority of superhard commodities to the world, with the average price going down for 9.8% compared with that in 2022. China also has bought about 5155 tons, or 393 million USDs, of superhard commodities from other regions at a steady price. In the superhard industry, China offers the world with stable supplies and acts as a big consumer to other economics. Conclusions: Despite that China’s manufacturing industry has shown significant robustness and is increasing steadily, the superhard industry endured a tough 2023, with its main indicators falling short of expectations and relatively slow development. However, there were positive factors in the downstream market, the increase in photometric battery productivity for example, and negative factors, especially a sluggish lab-grown diamond market. Despite the gem-grade single crystal diamond and the wire saw, other representative products saw their unit prices increase, generally by 10% to 20%. There was a sharp unit price ratio between some imported products and their exported counterparts, showing great potential in high-end applications.