[Labeling Culture] The Development History of Labeling Machines in China
I. The first phase spanned from the late 1980s to 1994. During this period, the primary focus was on importing and replicating outdated, functionally limited labeling machines that had already been phased out abroad. At the time, the few domestic label‑applying machine manufacturers could only produce equipment capable of applying two labels—on the neck and body of the container. In this era, beer packaging typically required only two labels, and these domestically made machines generally sufficed to meet such needs. However, due to the substantial gaps in functionality, performance, appearance, and labeling quality between domestic and imported equipment, the latter posed no real threat. Consequently, the market remained largely stable and uncompetitive. During this time, imported labeling machines dominated the Chinese market, accounting for the vast majority…
2017-08-08
I. The first phase spanned from the late 1980s to 1994. During this period, the primary focus was on importing and replicating outdated, functionally limited labeling machines that had already been phased out abroad. At the time, the few domestic label‑applying machine manufacturers were capable only of producing equipment for applying two labels—neck and body labels. In those days, beer packaging typically required only two labels, so these domestically made machines could largely meet the demand. However, given the substantial gaps in functionality, performance, appearance, and labeling quality between domestic and imported equipment, the latter posed no real threat. Consequently, the market remained relatively stable, with imported labeling machines dominating the Chinese market; the vast majority of breweries continued to opt for imported systems. Within Guangdong Province, breweries almost exclusively relied on products from the German company KRONES.
II. The period from 1995 to 2001 marked the second phase, during which China’s labeling‑machine industry experienced a significant upgrade. First, labeling speed increased from 24,000 bottles per hour to 33,000 bottles per hour; second, labeling capabilities expanded from applying two labels (neck and body) to applying four—enabling simultaneous application of front, neck, body, and back labels. Beginning in 1995, domestic beer producers sought to elevate the aesthetic appeal of their products by adding front and back labels to beer bottles. However, as these products were still in the trial‑production stage, their durability and stability remained insufficient. Coupled with users’ longstanding skepticism toward domestically produced equipment, imported labeling machines continued to be widely regarded as superior. Consequently, imported machines maintained a dominant position in the Chinese market, while domestic models posed little competitive threat. Between 1998 and 2001, with Krones’s prices remaining persistently high and domestic four‑label machines still in their infancy, foreign brands seized the opportunity to flood the Chinese market. By that time, nearly one hundred units of various models—including GERNEP, KOSME, and SASIB—had already been installed across the country.
III. The period from 2002 to the present marks the third stage. This phase represents the maturation of China’s labeling‑machine technology and constitutes a major turning point in the history of the industry. Over these four years, domestic manufacturers, while competing with one another, also established a competitive stance against foreign counterparts—improving through competition, advancing through refinement, innovating amid growth, and strengthening through innovation—gradually achieving a qualitative leap. The supply‑and‑demand dynamics of domestic labeling machines since 2002 speak for themselves. According to incomplete statistics, the annual demand for labeling machines in China’s beer sector currently stands at just over 100 units; “Pinghang” commands roughly 40% of the market share, while Germany’s Krones holds about 5%, with other foreign brands virtually disappearing and no longer vying for a share of the market. Domestic labeling machines now dominate the Chinese market, leaving foreign products in a position where they can only watch as their foothold erodes. Many foreign brands that once flooded the domestic market have suffered severe setbacks, while others feel the chilling threat of being edged out altogether.
IV. Although Chinese labeling machines have, in just three short years, driven most foreign‑made products out of the domestic market and established a dominant position at home, they still remain virtually absent from the international arena. The reasons for this can be summarized as follows: 1. A lack of core technologies—or, more precisely, insufficient investment in their development—has resulted in only marginal improvements in product quality stability, leaving a noticeable gap compared with world‑class offerings. 2. Product diversity is limited, with no comprehensive product lines covering areas such as sleeve labelers, hot‑melt adhesive labelers, and self‑adhesive labelers. While a few examples of these machines were occasionally showcased at the “2006 China International Beer and Beverage Manufacturing Technology and Equipment Exhibition,” they were largely imported solutions, and high‑speed models remain entirely unrepresented. In conclusion, for domestically produced labeling machines to fully capture the domestic demand in the beer and beverage sectors, penetrate international markets, and enhance their global competitiveness, they must focus on both quality and quantity—strengthening product stability, reliability, and practicality—while simultaneously investing in the development of proprietary core technologies and fostering independent innovation.
5. Through its long-term efforts to develop and refine its core technologies and enhance product competitiveness, Pinghang has identified five “three‑element factors” that influence the quality of labeling machines. This not only provides a theoretical foundation for manufacturing such equipment but also offers a reliable framework for diagnosing and resolving malfunctions during operation. Building on this theoretical framework, Pinghang has newly developed the PH48‑8‑8 high‑speed rotary labeling machine, with a production capacity of 68,000 bottles per hour and the ability to apply four different labels simultaneously. It currently boasts the highest labeling speed among domestically produced machines, marking a significant breakthrough in the labeling‑machine industry. Upon its debut at the “2006 China International Beer and Beverage Manufacturing Technology and Equipment Exhibition,” it was promptly selected by Beijing Yanjing Brewery Group to complement the 48,000‑bottle‑per‑hour beer bottling line recently unveiled by Nanjing Light Industry Machinery Group, thereby showcasing the cutting edge of industry technology.
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