New Environmental Policies Boost Demand for Automatic Spraying Equipment

As China’s Comprehensive Treatment Plan for Volatile Organic Compounds in Key Industries enters its second assessment phase, and local governments continue tightening restrictions on solvent-based coatings, manufacturers are accelerating their shift from solvent to water-based coatings. However, water-based coatings demand far higher spraying standards, and traditional manual spraying cannot guarantee quality, resulting in a sharp increase in demand for high-performance automatic spraying equipment. Intelligent coating equipment providers represented by Dongguan Mansheng Automation Equipment Co., Ltd. are experiencing explosive growth. According to Mansheng’s sales data, orders for its 6th generation 360° high speed rotating automatic spraying machines optimized for water-based coatings rose 130% year on year in Q1 2025, with SMEs from furniture, hardware, and toy industries accounting for over 60% of customers for the first time.

In late 2024, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment required key regions including Beijing Tianjin Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Fenwei Plain to replace at least 50% of high VOC raw materials with low VOC alternatives in industrial coating by June 2025. Major manufacturing provinces such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang issued supporting policies, imposing staggered production, output limits, and even shutdowns on non compliant enterprises. “Using water-based paint used to be just going green; now it’s the only way to stay in business," said the owner of a hardware factory in Dongguan. The plant supplies sheet metal parts to home appliance makers and was fined and ordered to rectify due to excessive VOC emissions last year. However, water-based coatings feature narrow application windows, slow drying, and high sensitivity to temperature and humidity. Its five manual sprayers struggled to produce acceptable parts, with a rework rate exceeding 30%. China Coating Industry Association surveys show about 65% of SMEs suffered from plunging quality and yield during the early solvent to water transition. The root cause: water-based coatings have high surface tension and are difficult to atomize, requiring far higher atomization fineness, flow precision, and environmental control than solvent-based coatings.

Addressing this market pain point, Mansheng Automation began dedicated R&D for water-based coating spraying as early as 2022. Its 6th generation 360° high speed rotating automatic spraying machine includes major upgrades in core components and process algorithms:

• High speed rotating atomizer: Speed increased to over 65,000 rpm, shearing water-based paint into finer droplets to reduce sagging and orange peel.
• Upgraded paint supply: Corrosion resistant stainless steel pipelines + low shear diaphragm pumps prevent agglomeration and foaming.
• Temperature/humidity adaptive module: Real-time booth monitoring with automatic adjustment of dilution ratio and spraying pressure.
• Rapid flash drying: Infrared-assisted heating reduces surface drying time to 30–60 seconds.

“A small appliance customer in Foshan manually sprayed water-based coatings with only 65% yield. After installing Mansheng equipment, yield jumped to 93%," said Mansheng’s Technical Director. “One machine replaces five sprayers per shift, and investment is recovered in just 8 months counting savings on rework and materials."

Mansheng’s automatic water-based coating solutions have been proven in mass production:

• Midea Appliances (Wuhu factory): 12 units deployed for water-based UV coating on air conditioner panels since 2024. Monthly capacity exceeds 500,000 pieces; VOC emissions reduced from 80 mg/m³ to 12 mg/m³, well below Guangdong’s 30 mg/m³ limit.
• BYD coating workshop: Full Mansheng line for water-based insulating coating on new energy battery cases. Stable operation at 40°C in high humidity; coating voltage withstand test pass rate 99.8%, reducing annual solvent use by about 60 tons.
• Nike Vietnam factory: 20 units ordered for water-based coating on shoe midsoles, meeting the brand’s 2030 carbon neutrality targets for coating processes.

Unlike large enterprises, SMEs often lack process expertise during transition. Mansheng launched a one-stop solvent-to-water service package:

1. On-site assessment of booth conditions, air quality, and drying systems
2. Equipment recommendation: 360° rotating machines or reciprocating lines
3. On-site sample spraying trials in Dongguan showroom
4. Hands-on training for parameter adjustment and maintenance
5. Environmental compliance support: exhaust testing and permit revision

“We don’t just sell machines; we help customers comply," said Mansheng After-Sales Manager. “We guarantee 72 hour rapid deployment from sampling to installation in Guangdong. Over 200 SMEs have completed transitions with our help."

As water-based coating formulas improve, equipment requirements rise. Mansheng is cooperating with South China University of Technology to develop electrostatic spraying for water-based coatings. Traditional water-based coatings suffer from leakage due to high conductivity, resulting in low transfer efficiency. Mansheng’s patented electrode isolation and voltage pulse control boost electrostatic efficiency from below 40% to 70%, saving over 30% coating. The technology is expected to enter pilot testing by late 2025 and launch on 7th generation equipment in 2026, making Mansheng one of China’s few providers of water-based electrostatic spraying technology.

To support cash-tight SMEs, Mansheng partners with leasing firms to offer equipment rental + pay-for-performance plans. Customers pay only 20% upfront and fixed monthly rentals. Mansheng guarantees 24 hour fault repair or rent waivers for delays. “Over 30 customers have adopted this model since late last year," said Mansheng Finance Director. “It is especially popular among businesses with large orders and tight cash flow needing rapid expansion."

“Many companies see environmental protection as a cost burden, but high-efficiency automatic spraying equipment allows emission reduction without cutting output – and even boosting profits," said a China Coating Industry Association expert. “Mansheng’s case proves automation lowers VOCs while improving yield and material utilization." The expert noted solvent-to-water is a systemic upgrade, not just coating replacement. Choosing experienced suppliers with proven cases ensures smooth transition.

“We are optimistic about water-based, high-solid, and powder coatings," said Mansheng’s General Manager. “Our goal is not only to sell equipment but to help Chinese manufacturers achieve compliance at the lowest cost while enhancing competitiveness." Mansheng’s 6th generation 360° high speed rotating machines are fully compatible with major water-based coating brands including PPG, AkzoNobel, Sherwin-Williams, Carpoly, and Zhanchen. Customers are welcome to conduct live sample trials at the Dongguan showroom.

Dongguan Mansheng Automation Equipment Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise and council member of the China Coating Industry Association. Founded in 2012, it holds 13 invention patents with annual capacity exceeding 5,000 machines. Its 6th generation spraying equipment is widely used for water-based coatings, serving clients including Midea, BYD, and Nike.

Release Date: May 25, 2026