Changzhou, a major city in Jiangsu province, has developed at a fast pace in economy in the past decade. Its strategic location, industrial expertise, technological advancements, industrial parks and zones, and preferential policies have been attracting both domestic and international companies to set up manufacturing sites. In the electronics industry, there are more than 5,000 enterprises there.
The city is within an hour from Shanghai and Nanjing. Its transportation infrastructure includes high-speed rail, highways, airports and ports, ensuring efficient logistics to other parts of the country and overseas. Its expertise in electronics manufacturing, particularly in PCBs, components, cables and specialized devices, has grown over the years.
Changzhou’s industrial parks and zones are many, with the major ones including the 508.94sqkm Changzhou National Hi-Tech District, the 27.5sqkm Sino-German (Changzhou) Innovation Industry Park, the 1.66sqkm Changzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone and the 8sqkm Creative Industrial Base.
These advantages point to Changzhou’s commitment to innovation and technology and to supporting the electronics industry. This also explains the influx of high-tech companies that include Changzhou Aohong and Changzhou Huawei Electronics.
In 2023, Changzhou ranked 21st in China’s top 100 cities, and the others in Jiangsu are Nanjing and Suzhou in the top 10 and Wuxi in the top 20, according to Wharton Economic Institute. It is the province’s fastest-growing city based on its GDP increase, which reached 137 percent between 2013 and 2022.
Transformers manufacturing
The manufacturing industry for transformers has benefited from Changzhou’s boom. There are about a hundred suppliers now, both domestic and international businesses. Many are found in Wujin as well as in Xinbei District, which is also known as the New District or the Changzhou National High-tech Zone.
Wujin Hongyuan, Changzhou Huadi and Changzhou Jutai are some of the major players in this product line.
Changzhou currently accounts for 12 percent of China’s transformers market, according to Changzhou International Investment Promotion Center, an organization affiliated with the Changzhou Bureau of Commerce.
This share is expected to rise further in the years ahead, especially with manufacturers continuing to boost their production to meet demand.
Changzhou Wujin Hongyuan Electronic Electric Equipment Co. Ltd completed the construction of a new factory recently. Once fully operational, the facility will be able to turn out 5 million transformers, 5 million inductors and 1 million power supplies every year.
Changzhou Feiyang moved its headquarters to a new location within the city in early 2024 in preparation for further production expansion in the next one or two years. In 2022, it increased capacity by 45 percent for transformers used in solar systems and household appliances. The company is currently operating two manufacturing bases, one in Guizhou and the other in Henan.
China is one of the top production hubs for transformers, accounting for over 20 percent of worldwide shipments, according to Sohu News. One third of the country's shipments are allocated for overseas destinations, mainly East Asia, North America and Europe.
The China Electronic Components Industry Association said that the global transformers market would reach $10.92 billion in 2025, posting a CAGR of 5 percent from 2020.
Small size, high frequency
As electronics miniaturization continues, Changzhou-based suppliers will keep up the release of more SMD transformers with high frequency and reliability.
Changzhou WanShengDa Electrical Technology Co. Ltd offers its series of PQ transformers in DIP and SMD packages. These units are mainly used in switching power supplies and DC-DC converters. Changzhou Chuangwen Electrical Co. Ltd, meanwhile, provides EI types in small sizes.
Widely available are vertical- and horizontal-mounted EE, EF, ER, RM, EPC, EP and EFD transformers for household appliances, consumer electronics, medical equipment, power meters, and communications and industrial control applications. The typical specifications are 85 to 265VAC input voltage, 3.3 to 36VDC output voltage and 0.5 to 3,000W rated power.
There are also water-resistant variants with an IP65 to IP68 rating.
These passive components are customizable and are made in compliance with UL, CE, VDE, CCC and RoHS requirements.
Manufacturers usually source bobbins, ferrite cores, copper wires and foils, tape and glue from domestic providers. They leverage proximity to the supply of ferrite cores, which account for two-thirds of material costs, as China is the largest producer of ferrites. Some make their own ferrite cores to ensure transformer quality.
Changzhou Chuangwen Electrical Co. Ltd
Year established: 2012
Head office location: Changzhou, Jiangsu
Key export products: Transformers
Export ratio: 30%
Main export markets: Asia, Europe, North America
Model: EI Series
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
Description: EI type; 220 to 230V or 110 to 120V or 380V input voltage at 50/60Hz; 1.2 to 2,700W maximum output power; <85 C temperature rise; -15 to 40 C operating temperature
Changzhou WanShengDa Electrical Technology Co. Ltd
Year established: 2013
Head office location: Changzhou, Jiangsu
Key export products: Transformers
Export ratio: 30%
Main export markets: Asia, Europe, North America
Model: PQ Series
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
Description: PQ type; DIP or SMD package; 220VAC input voltage; 300W maximum output power; switching power supplies, DC-DC converters; RoHS
Changzhou Wujin Hongyuan Electronic Electric Equipment Co. Ltd
Year established: 1997
Head office location: Changzhou, Jiangsu
Key export products: Transformers
Total monthly capacity: 300,000 units
Export ratio: 20%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific
Model: BK-HY Series
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
Description: High-frequency EC, EE, EPC, PQ types; horizontal or vertical mounting; ferrite core
Changzhou Yunming Transformers Fty
Year established: 2008
Head office location: Changzhou, Jiangsu
Key export products: Transformers
Export ratio: 20%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia
Model: EI
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
Description: EI type; 70 to 100VAC input voltage at 50Hz; 20W rated power
