On the afternoon of April 26th, during the Shanghai Auto Show, the "2025 Shanghai International Automotive Forming Manufacturing Industry Dialogue" convened. Centered on empowering automotive forming manufacturing through innovative mold technology, the event brought together automakers, component suppliers, and mold manufacturers to interpret how industrial chain integration drives progress, supply chain synergy fosters coexistence, and industry leaders join forces to tackle market challenges.

To address the diversified development of the global automotive industry and promote collaborative innovation and upstream-downstream integration within the industrial chain, the China Die & Mould Industry Association (CDMIA) and the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) jointly organized this dialogue. Leading enterprises—including SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle from the OEM sector, Bosch from the components sector, and FAW Tooling, Haitian Precision Machinery, and Yinshan Precision from the mold sector—were invited to deliver keynote speeches and engage in panel discussions. Participants explored strategies for the new automotive supply chain landscape, emerging demands, advanced forming equipment technology, and innovative applications in component manufacturing. The forum directly addressed contemporary challenges within the automotive sector and analyzed supply chain transformations and technological innovations driven by new energy vehicle (NEV) development.

In her opening remarks, Qin Ke, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of CDMIA, shared insights on the global and domestic landscape, international standing, and overall status of China's mold industry in 2024. She highlighted that the automotive sector remains the largest consumer of molds, with NEV development further expanding mold demand. Qin emphasized the mold industry's renewed positioning as an inseparable part of the foundational manufacturing of "mother machines" and materials. She noted that the industry’s characteristics—high technology, high efficiency, and high quality—align perfectly with the requirements of "new quality productive forces." During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the mold industry will propel advancements in manufacturing, supply chains, and the downstream automotive sector toward innovation, sustainability, and high-quality development. Qin specifically addressed the role of national industry associations as independent third parties in technological evaluation, highlighting the guiding role and value of the "Precision Mold Award" (recognized during the DMC exhibition) in setting industry standards. She also showcased technological breakthroughs in automotive molds and innovative applications demonstrated at DMC.

Ye Shengji, Chief Engineer and Professor-level Senior Engineer of CAAM, stated in his address: "The automotive forming manufacturing industry currently faces both opportunities and challenges. Innovation and transformation are essential to meet high-quality development demands." Key trends he outlined include:

• Policy-driven low-carbon transition: Carbon neutrality strategies and new energy policies propel the industry toward green and energy-efficient development.
• Accelerated technological innovation: Electrification, smart technologies, and new material applications are reshaping the industrial structure.
• Industrial chain synergy as consensus: Collaboration across the entire chain—from raw materials and components to vehicle manufacturing—is critical for industrial progress.

Mr. Liu Jun, Director of Direct Procurement for the Intelligent Mobility Group China at Bosch (China) Investment Ltd., shared Bosch's strategies for innovation in automotive component forming manufacturing and supply chain resilience. He introduced Bosch’s Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) framework, covering concepts such as event detection, task forces, core risk categories, and risk management processes. His presentation offered solutions from risk early warning to emergency response, helping companies systematically identify potential risks and enhance their supply chains’ resilience and recovery efficiency during disruptions.

Mr. Dong Zhichao, Assistant General Manager and Head of the Customer Operations Center at FAW Tooling Co., Ltd., shared FAW Tooling’s journey in exploring innovation driven by the industrial chain for body mold development. He addressed the current state of the automotive industry, domestic and international policies, and key topics in the mold sector. Through analyses of technological innovation, manufacturing innovation, and management innovation, he outlined practical paths involving digital design optimization, smart manufacturing efficiency improvements, and lean management cost reduction, offering valuable insights for the high-quality development and transformation of the automotive mold industry.

Mr. Ren Yong, Market Project Director of Qingdao Haitian Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., approached innovation from an industrial chain perspective. He presented collaborative advancements in software secondary development and system development, modular intelligent design technology, digital workshops, automated production lines, industrial internet, remote operation & maintenance + smart injection molding, new materials, and lightweight technologies—demonstrating full-chain empowerment.

During the panel discussion, experts focused on five core topics for the mold and automotive industries:

1. Building an efficient, collaborative ecosystem across the automotive upstream-downstream industrial chain to address internal and external risks.
2. How mold companies can establish rapid response mechanisms for quality and efficiency improvement.
3. How mold product innovation drives new automotive functionalities amid consumer upgrades.
   Panelists engaged in in-depth discussions and live interactions with the audience.