Analysis of the Current Market Situation and Development Opportunities of the Ice Machine Industry in 2023

一、 Industry Overview

An ice maker is a type of refrigeration mechanical equipment that cools water through an evaporator and generates ice through a refrigeration system refrigerant. It uses a refrigeration system and uses water as a carrier to produce ice through a certain device in an energized state. According to the principle of the evaporator and different production methods, the shape of the generated ice blocks also varies; People generally divide ice machines into particle ice machines, sheet ice machines, plate ice machines, tube ice machines, shell ice machines, and so on based on the shape of ice.

According to the application scenario, ice machines can be divided into household ice machines, commercial ice machines, and industrial grade ice machines. Household ice makers are mainly made of particle ice machines, mainly used for homemade drinks, fresh food, cooling dressings, etc; The application scenarios of commercial ice machines include catering, supermarkets, cold chain, etc., mainly including particle ice machines, flake ice machines, and snowflake ice machines; Industrial grade ice machines are mainly used in concrete cooling fields, including water conservancy and hydropower, nuclear power, construction engineering, and other industries, artificial environment fields such as mine cooling, energy-saving and environmental protection fields such as energy storage and peak shaving, as well as fine chemical industry reaction kettle cooling, artificial ice and snow fields, with tube ice machines as the main application.

二、 Market Status

1. Market size

According to data from Shangpu Consulting Group, the market size of commercial and household refrigerators in China was approximately 2.675 billion yuan in 2022. In the future, benefiting from the initial results of the popularization of the "ice cube usage culture" and the rapid economic recovery, the market size of commercial and household ice makers in China is expected to grow to 5.506 billion yuan in 2026.
From a global market perspective, the global commercial and household ice maker market size in 2022 is expected to reach 1.62 billion US dollars, and it is expected to grow to 2.633 billion US dollars in 2026.
The sales volume of industrial grade ice makers accounts for 4.5% of the Chinese ice maker market, although the proportion is not high. However, due to the application of products in large-scale industrial projects, their sales volume is very considerable. The demand for ice makers in the industrial sector is also increasing.

2. Development Trends

The development trends of the ice maker industry mainly include the following aspects:
technological innovation With the continuous progress and innovation of refrigeration technology, the performance, efficiency, energy conservation, and environmental protection of ice makers have significantly improved, meeting the needs of different scenarios and users. For example, the application of functions such as intelligence, automation, and remote control makes the operation of ice machines more convenient and intelligent; The use of new refrigerants reduces the energy consumption and environmental impact of refrigeration systems; The design of the new evaporator has improved the speed and quality of ice making.
Market segmentation. With the continuous expansion and diversification of ice usage scenarios, the market for ice makers has also shown a finely differentiated feature, with more specialized and personalized products tailored to different application fields and user needs. For example, slice ice machines, snowflake ice machines, etc. for the catering industry; Dry ice machines, low-temperature ice machines, etc. for the medical industry; Mini, portable, multifunctional, etc. for home users.
Brand competition. With the expansion of industry scale and the growth of market demand, the competition in the ice machine industry is becoming increasingly fierce. At present, domestic and foreign brands have certain advantages and disadvantages in different segmented markets, competing and cooperating with each other. Domestic brands dominate the field of household ice makers, while foreign brands
Has strong technical advantages and brand influence in the field of commercial and industrial grade ice makers. In the future, brand competition will place greater emphasis on product quality, technological innovation, service experience, marketing strategies, and other aspects.

三、Future Opportunities

1. Growth potential

The future growth potential of the ice maker industry mainly comes from the following aspects:

The popularization of ice culture. With the improvement of people's living standards and changes in consumer attitudes, ice culture is gradually becoming popular in China, especially among young people. Using ice not only enhances the taste and quality of beverages, but also satisfies people's pursuit of personalization and fashion. In addition, using ice has multiple effects such as preservation, cooling, and pain relief, making the application scenarios of ice makers more extensive.

Economic recovery and consumption upgrading. Affected by the COVID-19, China's economic growth slowed down in 2020, but with the effective promotion of epidemic prevention and control and the resumption of production, China's economy rebounded strongly in 2021, and is expected to continue to maintain stable growth in 2022. The economic recovery has driven the recovery and upgrading of the consumer market, and people's demand for refrigeration equipment has also increased.

Technological innovation and product optimization. With the continuous progress and innovation of refrigeration technology, the performance, efficiency, energy conservation, and environmental protection of ice makers have significantly improved, meeting the needs of different scenarios and users. At the same time, the product forms of ice makers are also more diversified and personalized, providing more specialized and customized solutions for different segmented markets and consumer groups.

2. Development strategy

In response to the future opportunities and challenges of the ice maker industry, this article proposes the following suggestions and strategies:

Strengthen investment in technological innovation and research and development. Technological innovation is the core driving force for the development of the ice making industry. Only by continuously improving product quality, performance, efficiency, and other aspects can market demand and user expectations be met. At the same time, technological innovation is also an important means to improve industry competitiveness and resist external competitive pressures. Therefore, ice machine enterprises should strengthen technological innovation and research and development investment, accelerate the development and promotion of new technologies, products, and models, and improve the intelligence, automation, energy-saving, and environmental protection levels of refrigeration systems.

Expand market segmentation and application scenarios. The market segmentation and application scenarios of ice making machines are important directions for the development of the ice making industry. Only by providing more specialized and personalized products and services tailored to different user needs and consumption habits can we increase market share and user stickiness. At the same time, expanding market segmentation and application scenarios is also an effective way to increase product added value and profit margin. Therefore, ice machine enterprises should have a deep understanding of market demand and user behavior, develop products and solutions that are more in line with the target market and user group, and expand the popularization and promotion of ice culture.

Strengthen brand building and marketing strategies. Brand building and marketing strategies are important support for the development of the ice machine industry. Only by establishing a good brand image and reputation, enhancing brand awareness and influence, can we win market recognition and user trust. At the same time, brand building and marketing strategies are also key factors in improving product competitiveness and risk resistance. Therefore, ice machine enterprises should strengthen brand building and marketing strategies, use various channels and platforms for promotion, create a differentiated and distinctive brand image, and enhance interaction and communication with users.

Pay attention to service quality and user experience. Service quality and user experience are important guarantees for the development of the ice machine industry. Only by providing high-quality pre-sales, in sales, and after-sales services, improving user experience and satisfaction, can we increase user loyalty and repurchase rate. At the same time, service quality and user experience are also important ways to improve product reputation and recommendation. Therefore, ice machine enterprises should focus on service quality and user experience, establish a sound service system and mechanism, provide timely, professional, and thoughtful services, collect and listen to user feedback and suggestions, and continuously improve products and services.

四、 Conclusion

The ice maker industry, as a type of basic refrigeration and ice making equipment, has been widely applied in various fields such as domestic industry, medical treatment, and food, and is showing a stable growth trend. In the future, driven by multiple factors such as the popularization of ice culture, economic recovery and consumption upgrading, technological innovation and product optimization, the ice maker industry will usher in greater development space and opportunities. However, at the same time, the ice maker industry is also facing development difficulties such as increasingly fierce market competition and increasingly serious homogenization issues. Therefore, ice machine enterprises should strengthen technological innovation and R&D investment, expand market segmentation and application scenarios, strengthen brand building and marketing strategies, pay attention to service quality and user experience, improve product quality and competitiveness, and achieve sustainable development based on market changes and user needs.