Lead-free and automation-driven - Ningbo Shengdao New Materials Seizes the Window Period for Upgrading the Soldering Material Industry

With the deepening of environmental regulations such as the EU RoHS Directive, China's "Dual Carbon" goals, and the "Management Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products," the electronics manufacturing industry is undergoing a comprehensive green transformation—from materials to processes. Amid this wave, solder materials, as one of the most heavily used and environmentally regulated auxiliaries in electronic assembly, are entering a critical window for industrial upgrading. Ningbo Shengdao New Materials Co., Ltd., located in the Yangtze River Delta electronics manufacturing belt, is accelerating its push to capture the market high ground of industrial upgrading, leveraging its early deployment of lead-free environmentally friendly solder materials and deep adaptation to automated soldering scenarios.

Policy Dividends Unleashed, Surging Demand for Eco-Friendly Solder Materials

At the beginning of 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's "Guidelines for Restricting the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electronic and Electrical Products" came into effect, while global environmental policies tightened simultaneously—the EU added 37 controlled substances to its list, the U.S. EPA expanded its oversight of e-waste, and China's "Dual Carbon" goals were refined down to carbon emission accounting for electronics contract manufacturers. The room for survival of lead-containing solder materials has been drastically compressed. In 2026, the global solder material market is estimated at US$4.792 billion, with lead-free solder materials already accounting for about 74% of total usage. According to QYResearch statistics and forecasts, the global lead-free electronic-grade tin solder market reached US$6.822 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to US$11.27 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5%.

At the same time, the proliferation of automated soldering lines has imposed higher technical requirements on solder materials. Automated soldering equipment (such as robotic soldering, laser soldering, etc.) demands far higher standards for wettability, spatter control, diameter consistency, and batch stability than manual soldering. Traditional general-purpose solders can no longer meet the needs of high-speed, precision, and environmentally friendly automated production. Data shows that automated soldering lines now account for 57% of industrial solder consumption, and this proportion is still rising.

Driven by these dual forces, high-end solder material suppliers that combine environmental compliance with automated adaptability are becoming the preferred partners for electronics manufacturers in their supply chain upgrades.

From Yuyao to the Nation, Serving High-End Manufacturing

Ningbo Shengdao New Materials Co., Ltd. was founded in 1999 and officially established in 2012. Headquartered in Yuyao, Zhejiang, it is deeply rooted in the Yangtze River Delta electronics manufacturing belt, with sales branches in Shanghai, Wuxi, and Xiamen. The company’s main business covers lead-free/leaded full-series electronic soldering materials for all automated soldering scenarios. All products comply with international environmental and quality standards. Core products include lead-free solder wire/solder bar, leaded solder wire/solder bar, lead-free solder paste, and automation-specific solder wire.

In the technical roadmap for lead-free solders, the industry mainstream SAC305 alloy (Sn96.5Ag3.0Cu0.5) remains the general choice, but high-end fields such as automotive electronics and aerospace demand higher thermal fatigue resistance and long-term reliability of solder joints. Leveraging more than twenty years of technical accumulation, Ningbo Shengdao New Materials has formed a differentiated advantage in optimizing wettability and controlling spatter for lead-free solders. Its automation-specific solder wire is custom-developed for robotic soldering and laser soldering scenarios, significantly improving the efficiency of automated soldering equipment, reducing spatter and fume generation, leaving low residue after soldering (eliminating cleaning steps), and lowering production costs.

The company has previously been granted an invention patent for "a low-rosin halogen-free lead-free solder paste and its preparation method." This solder paste leaves minimal, colorless, and transparent residue, is stable at room temperature, non-hygroscopic, halogen-free, non-corrosive after soldering, and particularly suitable for no-clean operations, fully meeting environmental requirements.

Regional Industrial Cluster Empowerment, Ningbo Manufacturing Gains New "Solder Power"

Ningbo, as a national torch program电子信息 industry base, has been intensifying efforts in semiconductor materials for integrated circuits, electronic packaging materials, and other areas in recent years, consolidating and developing its industrial chain advantages. Ningbo Shengdao New Materials is located in Yuyao, at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta electronics manufacturing belt, surrounded by numerous automotive electronics, consumer electronics, and home appliance manufacturers, providing the company with rich application scenarios and collaborative innovation opportunities. The company has established long-term strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Gree's home appliance and automotive electronics divisions, Flyco (small home appliances), Hella automotive electronics, Brano (automotive door latch systems, established for over a century), and aerospace sensor systems.

In May 2026, the 2026 China (Ningbo) International Welding & Cutting Exhibition will be held at the Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Center. The industry is undergoing a comprehensive transformation from a traditional "equipment supplier" role to an "intelligent welding solution provider." Under this trend, the synergy between solder materials and welding equipment is becoming increasingly important. As a representative local solder material company, Ningbo Shengdao New Materials is poised to leverage Ningbo's industrial agglomeration effects and the exhibition platform to further expand its market influence and deepen collaboration with downstream customers.

Outlook: Independent Innovation in China's Solder Materials Is on the Rise

Currently, in the global solder market competition landscape, the Asia-Pacific region controls 52% of global consumption. As the world's largest electronics manufacturing base, China holds enormous market potential for solder materials. However, at the same time, the high-end solder material market is still dominated by international brands, and domestic companies still have significant room for improvement in core technology areas such as alloy formulation innovation and flux system optimization.

With the mission of "committed to an automated soldering China solution," Ningbo Shengdao New Materials has focused on the R&D and production of environmentally friendly solder materials for over two decades, establishing a unique market position in China's solder material industry. As the lead-free process advances and automated soldering technology continues to spread, the company is expected to seize opportunities in the wave of industrial upgrading, accelerating its transition from "domestic substitution" to "domestic leadership," and injecting more "solder power" into the high-quality development of China's electronics manufacturing.