Automotive Compressor Industry Sees Surge in Orders, Capacity Expansion and Self-Production Trends in 2026
Date: March 2026
The global automotive compressor industry is witnessing robust growth in orders and capacity expansion amid the electrification wave. Yinlun Co., Ltd., a leading thermal management supplier, announced on March 5 that its subsidiary Yinlun TDI has secured a key program award for exhaust gas treatment systems from an international client. Scheduled to commence production in Q4 2026 at its Mexico facility, the project is expected to generate annual sales of approximately $131 million, further expanding the company’s thermal management and compressor supporting capabilities in the North American market.
Zhongjie Automotive has also obtained a major order for scroll discs for electric compressors from a global thermal management customer, with mass production set to begin in early 2026. The project is projected to generate total sales of around $29.86 million over its lifecycle, solidifying the company’s position in the electric compressor component supply chain.
On the capacity front, Shanghai Benling launched the DWOK OBF smart factory project in February 2026, investing in a data-driven intelligent manufacturing system for automotive electric compressors to meet surging global demand and control costs. Meanwhile, Liming Minerals initiated an air conditioner radiator and compressor disassembly project in March, with equipment to be installed in June. The company targets the disassembly of 1.2 million units in 2026, aiming for a production value of 5 billion yuan and tapping into the circular economy of automotive components.
Industry trends further highlight the acceleration of in-house R&D and production by automakers. BYD (Fudi Technology), Great Wall Motors (Honeycomb Thermal System), and SAIC (Huayu Sanden) have all launched self-developed electric and heat pump compressors, equipping their own new energy vehicle models while expanding external supply. Additionally, rising prices of raw materials such as copper, aluminum, and steel have prompted component manufacturers including Shandong Jinlilai to raise prices of automotive air conditioning compressors and related parts starting March 11, 2026.
