I. Rapid Market Expansion with Synergistic Geographical and Model Evolution
Citing his team's research data, Yue Jingdong pointed out that the domestic 3D printing farm market is currently experiencing explosive growth. It is estimated that by the first quarter of 2025, the national equipment inventory of farms will be close to 200,000 units, and this number is expected to rise to 300,000 - 500,000 units by the end of the year. Geographically, the industry, initially concentrated in eastern coastal areas, is rapidly spreading to central, western, northwestern, southwestern provinces and beyond, showing a trend of "blooming nationwide."
He emphasized that "orders determine survival" is the core rule of farm operation. Whether pursuing the volume-driven popular product model or focusing on the high-margin customization route, the ability to secure orders is the key to a farm's profitability.
II. First Proposal of Three Farm Models: Profit Originates from "Information Asymmetry"
Based on in-depth observation of the industry, Yue Jingdong innovatively moved away from the traditional classification based on equipment quantity. Instead, using the ability to obtain and utilize "information asymmetry" as the criterion, he categorized farms into three main types:
The Manufacturers: These farm owners focus on production capacity as their core competitiveness, specializing in chasing popular market products. They operate like "wholesalers," profiting through economies of scale. Their characteristics include low initial investment, fast payback periods, but lower profit margins. Notably, the core capability of top "Manufacturers" lies in the capacity they can mobilize and integrate, not just their owned equipment.
The Full-Chain Operators/Creators: They possess closed, proprietary sales channels (e.g., specific Taobao shops, foreign trade channels) for selling self-designed or curated printed items. They intentionally control sales volume to prevent their products from becoming overly exposed public bestsellers, thereby protecting their "information asymmetry" and profit margins.
The Tech Gurus: This group leverages strong technical expertise to enter highly vertical, niche markets (e.g., specific game props, highly customized products), serving targeted customers willing to pay high premiums. Their orders carry extremely high gross margins, exemplifying strong technical monetization.
Yue Jingdong concluded, "Information asymmetry is the source of profit. Understanding one's position in the value chain and building one's own 'information asymmetry' barrier is key to achieving sustainable profitability for a farm."
III. Industry Outlook: Evolving from an "Internet Cafe" Model towards Specialization and ToC Orientation
Discussing the future, Yue Jingdong drew an analogy to the "internet cafe" era of PC popularization in China. He believes that current 3D printing farms are playing a similar role as "popularizers of productivity tools" and vehicles for monetization. In the short term, stable and reliable core production equipment remains the primary concern for farm owners. In the long run, the industry will accelerate its development towards specialization and a ToC (business-to-consumer) orientation, bringing higher demands for machine performance, farm operation technology, and customized solutions.
IV. Creality Releases Comprehensive Farm Support System
As a global pioneer in consumer-grade 3D printing ecosystems, Yue Jingdong detailed how Creality empowers the farm ecosystem.
He first shared the company's robust strength: 840 patents, an R&D team of over 560 people, a production base exceeding 260,000 square meters, and a global sales network (74 outlets, 2163 distributors).
Addressing the needs of different farm types, Creality launched targeted product solutions:
Born for Farms: The Sermoon M300, optimized with a print size of (300*300*200)mm for enhanced stability, featuring servo stepper motors and a highly integrated extruder for easy maintenance.
Cost-Effective Choice: The Ender-3 V3 Plus, hailed as a "dragon-slaying marvel," meets the extreme demands of "Manufacturers" for cost and efficiency.
Large-Size Demand Solution: The Ender-5 Max with a massive build volume of (400mm)³ addresses customized orders.
Beyond hardware, Creality also provides a suite of support policies including exclusive discounts, farm construction manuals, step-by-step setup assistance, and direct access to after-sales and technical support. Yue Jingdong specially (pre-announced) that a mysterious new solution for farms would be unveiled at the following day's factory open day event, sparking anticipation among the audience.
V. Recruiting "Evangelists": Inviting Channel Partners
Finally, Yue Jingdong extended an invitation for cooperation to the audience, suggesting that becoming a Creality agent is another significant path to deeply engage in the industry, alongside being a farm owner. The company will provide agents with comprehensive support spanning product supply, sales, training, after-sales service, and ecological synergy. Empowerment through various dimensions such as channel sales volume, industry solutions, and after-sales service will ensure substantial profits for partners.
He expressed that Creality looks forward to collaborating with "like-minded individuals" who adhere to a long-term perspective, believe in the future of 3D printing, and possess certain technical understanding, showroom space, or channel resources. The goal is to jointly join the "Evangelist Alliance" and draw a larger blueprint for consumer-grade 3D printing.
