Compressor Technology Experiencing Incremental Change and China’s Market Impact

When it comes to compressor technology, most aspects have fully matured and remained similar for decades, thus leaving little room for step-change improvements and requiring OEMs to enhance the surrounding markets: manufacturing, supply chains, maintenance, and even AI. Despite minimal room for technological advancement, the Chinese compressor market is rapidly growing through the adaptation and improvement of foreign technologies, driving domestic production and export operations.

Christean Kapp, Rotating Equipment Expert at Dora Partners & Co., offered specific details regarding how compressor OEMs are making incremental improvements over significant technological change, as well as China’s increasing impact on the global compressor market. According to Kapp, the Chinese market’s growth can be attributed to rapid acquisition, a decrease in foreign OEM presence, and new exports to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

TURBO: Are there any new, emerging, or under development compressor technologies that may be a player in the market? If so, what are these technologies and why are they significant?

Kapp: The technologies are very mature, both for reciprocating and rotating compressors. Even my grandfather would recognize today’s technologies with the exception of control systems, which are microprocessor-based. It’s very difficult to make a step-change so, for many decades, compressor OEMs have been focusing on incremental change.

These include better and more precise manufacturing, improved supply chains, better service philosophies, and even going so far as using AI. I would see further incremental changes happening, not step-changes in technology.

TURBO: How is China’s rapidly increasing domestic production of compressors impacting the global market?

Kapp: The Chinese compressor market is very large, and we see several, sizable Chinese OEMs which happen to be in the report as well. To some extent, they still rely on foreign technology but we’re seeing a very rapid development of acquiring, using, and improving that technology. The share of foreign OEMs in China is reducing and we’re beginning to see the first exports out of China into the Middle East and Southeast Asia, so they’re coming.

For more information on the 2025 Compressor Market Report, please visit https://www.dora-partners.com/dora-reports.php.