Over more than a decade, Shenzhen’s Longhua District has grown from a single 20-square-meter startup office into an industrial cluster that now supplies half of the global consumer 3D printing market.
Today, Longhua has formed a complete ecosystem covering materials, components, equipment, and applications, making it a core global hub for consumer 3D printers.
The story begins with Creality. In 2014, the company was born in a 20㎡ office in Longhua. Leveraging high cost‑performance and continuous innovation, it grew into the “single champion” of global consumer FDM printing. Its products are sold in more than 140 countries, with an output value exceeding 3.1 billion RMB (approximately $430 million USD) in 2025 and a global market share of 27.9%.
Then came Elegoo, which focused on resin‑based (vat photopolymerization) technology and quickly rose to become a global leader in that field. In 2025, Elegoo’s revenue reached 2.3 billion RMB (about $319 million USD), with the world’s largest market share in LCD‑based 3D printing. It was also recognized as a national “Little Giant” company. Together, Creality (covering a broad range) and Elegoo (specialized in resin) form a differentiated pair of champions, jointly powering Longhua’s leading position in global consumer 3D printing.
Behind these two champions lies Longhua’s exceptional industrial ecosystem. Within a two‑hour drive, companies can find almost every core component supplier they need — this “two‑hour supply chain circle” dramatically lowers the cost of trial and error and enables extremely fast iteration. At the same time, the Longhua District government has launched an industrial cluster action plan, providing comprehensive support in technology R&D, funding, and industrial land. In 2026, Creality jointly acquired land to build an additive manufacturing R&D and production headquarters, with an estimated annual output value exceeding 10 billion RMB (about $1.39 billion USD) in the future.
Today, Longhua has gathered a number of high‑quality companies such as BMF (Boston Micro Fabrication) and Rui Feng Technology. The region also hosts 7 provincial‑level engineering technology research centers and holds 948 valid invention patents. From local exploration to global trendsetting, Longhua’s 3D printing industry has completed a remarkable transformation from follower to leader, becoming a shining example of high‑quality advanced manufacturing development.
