Summary: In late September 2025, China’s mold industry leadership toured Germany and Italy, cementing alliances with top equipment makers and trade bodies, while drumming up support for the 2026 ISTMA World Congress in Shanghai.

In late September 2025, a senior delegation from the China Die & Mould Industry Association (CDMIA), led by Vice President and Secretary-General Qin Ke, spent a week crisscrossing Germany and Italy. The mission was clear: deepen ties with Europe’s mold-making and machine-tool ecosystem, and lay the groundwork for the 17th ISTMA World Congress, set for Shanghai in 2026, alongside the DMC mold exhibition. This wasn’t a courtesy call. The delegation hit the floor of EMO Hannover, Europe’s largest machine tool show, and engaged directly with global leaders like DMG MORI, United Machining Solutions, and MAKINO. All three expressed strong interest in backing the Shanghai event—a signal that China’s mold sector is no longer just a buyer of high-end equipment, but a co-host in shaping global manufacturing dialogue.

Beyond the exhibition halls, the CDMIA team sat down with key industry bodies—Germany’s VDMA and Italy’s UCIMU—to push for broader participation. VDMA’s tooling division head, Dr. Markus Heseding, praised the preparation work and pledged to promote the Congress among its members. With UCIMU, the talks zeroed in on practical cooperation, especially around equipment demand from Chinese mold makers and how Italian machine-tool strengths could align with DMC’s platform. The delegation also visited Italian association UCISAP, where former ISTMA president Fausto Romagnani and current chair Andrea Digirolamo welcomed them. Notably, UCISAP’s members export over 58% of their mold output, with a heavy focus on automotive, medical, and packaging sectors—an insight into how European molders balance specialization with agility.

What stands out here is the shift in China’s mold industry strategy. The delegation didn’t just network; they surveyed pain points of Chinese firms “going global,” from tooling suppliers like Tiangong International to alloy makers like Boyun Dongfang. They also gathered input for China’s 15th Five-Year Plan on molds. The message is clear: Chinese mold makers are moving from cost-driven competition to technology-driven collaboration. By anchoring the 2026 ISTMA Congress in Shanghai and inviting European partners to co-create, the industry is positioning itself as a bridge—not a follower—in the global mold value chain. Expect more cross-border partnerships and a sharper focus on high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing in the years ahead.