Procurement demand for projects exceeding RMB 50 billion has been concentratedly unleashed, and the sixth International Engineering Construction Supply Chain Expo has unveiled a comprehensive overview of procurement data—projects from all six continents are converging, driven by both domestic and international markets, with robust demand across five core product categories.

From September 16 to 18, 2026, the Sixth International Engineering Construction Supply Chain Expo was successfully held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Tianjin). With the theme “Digital Intelligence in Engineering, Building the Future,” the expo featured numerous supply-and-demand matchmaking events and registration activities, collectively unveiling a substantial portfolio of international engineering procurement needs—large-scale, comprehensive, and widely distributed—highlighting the robust momentum of China’s engineering supply chain as it expands globally, along with strong market demand worldwide for Chinese construction, equipment, and services.

Total project value of 50 billion yuan, with annual centralized procurement demand exceeding 10 billion yuan

According to the organizing committee, this year’s expo brought together procurement demands spanning all six continents, with identifiable projects totaling over 50 billion yuan. The clearly defined portion of annual centralized procurement demand alone has already surpassed 10 billion yuan. Demand types include subcontracting, specialized contracting, equipment and material procurement, centralized purchasing, and overseas collaboration, covering every stage from site entry through design, construction, and tendering. Currently, China’s overseas contracted engineering sector maintains steady growth: in 2025, the industry recorded contract turnover of US$178.82 billion and newly signed contracts worth US$289.22 billion—both hitting record highs. From January to July 2026, overseas contracted engineering generated US$701.28 billion in revenue, up 7.4% year-on-year, with US$603.28 billion earned in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative—an increase of 10.8%. This vast overseas engineering market has created enormous demand for upstream and downstream supply-chain products, making this expo a key platform for channeling these needs.

Wide industry coverage, with residential construction, new energy, and municipal infrastructure as the three pillars

In terms of industry distribution, the expo’s procurement needs span more than ten sectors, including residential construction (hospitals and elderly care facilities, hotels, public buildings, convention centers, office towers, urban renewal and affordable housing, schools), industrial plants and industrial parks, municipal infrastructure, new energy and power engineering, transportation, petrochemicals, mining, water conservancy, environmental protection, electronics and telecommunications, aerospace, and others. Among these, residential construction, new energy/power, and municipal infrastructure represent the three core demand areas, accounting for over 60% combined. Demand in the new energy and power sectors has grown particularly rapidly, encompassing the entire value chain—from photovoltaics and energy storage to hydrogen, wind power, and grid modernization—aligning closely with China’s strategic push toward green and low-carbon transformation.

Strong domestic procurement demand, with significant scale in central state-owned enterprise general contracting and centralized purchasing

This expo serves not only as a hub for releasing overseas project demands but also as an important gateway for connecting domestic engineering procurement needs. Based on registration data and matchmaking sessions, domestic procurement spans multiple provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China, covering major sectors such as residential construction, municipal works, industrial plants, new energy, power, transportation, and water conservancy. Projects are distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Anhui, Hainan, Xinjiang, and other locales. Representative projects include: a 1.5-million-ton-per-year ethylene and downstream deep-processing complex in Fujian (project size: 1.483 billion yuan, with approximately 400 million yuan allocated to primary materials); a new highway and road project (project size: 1 billion yuan); Phase II of a Qingdao metro line (project size: 300–500 million yuan); an EPC project for a live fish germplasm resource bank in China (project size: over 300 million yuan); an eco-food valley project in Ma’anshan (project size: 300 million yuan); a precision synthetic biology industrial park in Muping (project size: 300 million yuan); an LNG storage station project in Xiong’an New Area; a land development project in Shijiazhuang (400,000 square meters); a residential project at the Garden Expo Park; a hospital project in Tianjin; and an airport project in Dalian, among others.

Domestic centralized procurement demand is particularly prominent. One general contractor has annual procurement needs totaling 8 billion yuan, covering steel, electrical wires and cables, distribution boxes, formwork lumber, pipes, paints, tiles, decorative finishing materials, and electromechanical equipment. Another entity requires 200,000 tons of rebar, while a third seeks 50,000 tons of steel. Some companies estimate annual centralized purchases of 200 million yuan for rebar and cables, while others plan for 50 million to 100 million yuan annually for steel structures, cables, piping, sanitary ware, and electromechanical devices. A municipal authority procures 200,000 meters of pipes and fittings, 350,000 tons of stone, 6,000 tons of steel, and 8,000 tons of cement each year. In 2026, one organization’s centralized procurement includes 2 million yuan for piping, 20 million yuan for green building materials, 5 million yuan for electrical equipment, and 10 million yuan for construction materials. Additionally, there are large-scale centralized purchases of 40,000 square meters of tiles, 50,000 sets of bathroom fixtures, 253 elevators, 205,000 meters of pipe piles, and 100,000 square meters of waterproofing membranes—all released simultaneously.

Supplier准入 standards: For domestic projects, suppliers are generally required to be manufacturers or first-tier agents, possessing relevant production qualifications, strong brand recognition, and sound financial standing. Some large general contractors further stipulate that suppliers must register on designated centralized procurement platforms, maintain clean records, and prioritize those with proven experience in overseas projects. This provides a clear pathway for high-quality domestic suppliers to enter major corporate procurement lists and expand stable supply channels.

The five core categories lead the way, covering the entire supply chain

In terms of procurement categories, pipes and fittings, green building materials, engineering services, electrical equipment, and building electromechanical systems constitute the five core demands, spanning everything from basic construction materials to smart construction tools, and from engineering design consulting to cross-border logistics services. Specifically, pipes and fittings include steel, copper, PVC, PE, PPR, UPVC, as well as insulated pipes and concrete pipes; green building materials cover aluminum panels, tiles, glass, paints, insulation materials, prefabricated components, permeable bricks, and more; engineering services encompass design consulting, supervision, project management, logistics and freight forwarding, customs clearance, insurance and finance, legal and tax advisory, inspection and certification, and so forth; electrical equipment includes transformers, cables, distribution boxes, ring main units, generators, and energy storage devices; building electromechanical systems cover HVAC, plumbing, building electrical systems, fire safety and security, machinery, elevators, and more. Demand for smart construction tools—such as construction robots and digital platforms—and home improvement materials—like whole-house customization, smart homes, and ceramic bathroom fixtures—is also growing rapidly.

Overseas projects account for nearly half, with Belt and Road countries as hotspots

Regionally, overseas projects make up nearly half of the total, concentrated in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, South America, and Oceania—areas along the Belt and Road. In Africa, examples include the expansion of Congo (Kinshasa) Airport, the Mozambique Daxiao Complex, the Ghana Nami-Tini Gold Mine, the Guinea Grid Modernization Project, and the Abidjan Arts Center. Southeast Asia features Malaysia’s Johor Bahru Seaview Machinery Plant, Indonesia’s Central Java SEAL Coal Mine, Laos’ Vang Vieng Hotel, and the Philippines’ Kaisaka Water Tunnel Project. The Middle East includes Saudi Arabia’s Naria Phase II Power Station, Dubai’s villa complexes, and Iraq’s Majinu Project. South America encompasses Chile’s Rukaiwei Hydroelectric Station, Guyana’s NABI Warehouse, and El Salvador’s National Stadium. Oceania includes Papua New Guinea’s Star Mountain Plaza Phase III, Papua New Guinea’s Ocean Park Phase I, and Papua New Guinea’s Nan Ya Hospital.

Higher supplier thresholds, with international certifications becoming mandatory

Notably, this expo sends a clear signal: requirements for overseas project suppliers have risen significantly. Suppliers are now expected to hold international certifications (CE, ISO, Australian Standards, U.S. Standards, SNI, etc.), demonstrate export capabilities, showcase overseas performance, and provide localized service support. Some projects even require proof of funding capacity or local registration. For example, the Papua New Guinea Star Mountain Plaza project mandates materials meeting Australian Standard parameters and accompanying test reports, while Indonesian projects must comply with SNI certification. Guyana’s projects require direct factory sales or exclusive contact with factory‑appointed foreign trade personnel. This means that companies with international certifications, proven overseas履约能力, and localized service capabilities will enjoy a distinct competitive edge in the next wave of global expansion.

Platform empowerment: bridging the entire “demand–matching–implementation” chain

Breaking away from traditional exhibition models, this expo places pragmatic matchmaking and value creation at its core, enabling visitors to “negotiate upon arrival and seize business opportunities on-site.” During the event, specialized sessions were held, including embassy‑led matchmaking meetings, central state‑owned enterprise general contracting forums, investor‑owner liaison events, and professional subcontracting and sub‑contracting gatherings. Heads of central state‑owned enterprise general contracting, commercial officers from foreign embassies in China, and exhibiting companies engaged in face-to-face discussions, delving into practical topics such as subcontracting collaboration, centralized procurement of equipment and materials, and joint development of overseas projects.

During the conference, the China International Engineering Consulting Association’s Industrial Procurement Cloud Chain Platform—the International Engineering Overseas Supplier Database was officially launched. Targeting engineering general contractors undertaking overseas projects, the platform aggregates premium global suppliers of building materials and engineering-related products, standardizing company information, overseas certifications, and production capacity data. Through intelligent search and screening, coupled with supplier profiling and evaluation, it efficiently matches cross-border supply and demand. Currently, over 1,200 enterprises with proven overseas performance and service capabilities have joined the platform, using data as a bridge, standards as support, and collaboration as their goal, transforming overseas procurement from “people seeking goods” to “data-driven decision-making,” and shifting from experience‑based choices to smart, algorithmic decisions.

At present, the global supply chain landscape is undergoing profound adjustments. Chinese engineering firms venturing abroad face both vast opportunities and multiple risks and challenges. By leveraging procurement demand as a connecting thread, this expo links upstream and downstream segments of the industry chain, bridges domestic and international dual circulation, and helps propel Chinese engineering technology, high-end equipment, green solutions, and comprehensive services onto the world stage. In September 2027, the Seventh International Engineering Construction Supply Chain Expo will once again open in Tianjin, warmly inviting engineering supply-chain enterprises worldwide to join this grand event, share in the trillion‑yuan blue ocean of procurement, and jointly forge new frontiers of international cooperation.

(Data source: Statistics compiled by the Organizing Committee of the Sixth International Engineering Construction Supply Chain Expo based on relevant matchmaking session data)