As core equipment in the plastic processing industry, extrusion blow molding machines are widely used in various fields such as food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, agricultural films, and industrial containers. As the world’s major producer and consumer of extrusion blow molding machines, China has a rich variety of equipment in the market with a large price range. Based on core classification dimensions such as equipment structure and function, degree of automation, and application scenarios, this article will comprehensively analyze the price range, difference causes, and influencing factors of different types of extrusion blow molding machines combined with current market data.

I. Price Range by Structural Function Classification

According to structural function classification, extrusion blow molding machines can be mainly divided into two categories: single-layer extrusion blow molding machines and multi-layer co-extrusion blow molding machines. Due to differences in technical complexity and processing accuracy, the prices of the two types of equipment show a significant gradient.

(I) Single-Layer Extrusion Blow Molding Machines

Single-layer extrusion blow molding machines have a simple structure and are mainly used for producing basic products such as ordinary plastic films and small plastic bottles and cans. They are the most widely used basic models in the market. Their prices are greatly affected by production capacity and the range of applicable raw materials. The specific price ranges are as follows:

• Mini/Laboratory Type: Mainly used for small-scale production or experimental research and development, suitable for basic raw materials such as PE and HDPE, with low output (usually less than 50kg/h), and the price range is 3,000-5,800 USD/unit. For example, a small desktop PE film blowing extruder has a minimum order quantity of 1 unit and a unit price as low as 3,000 USD.
• Regular Production Type: Used for mass production of plastic bags, ordinary mulch films, etc., with an output of 50-200kg/h, suitable for various raw materials such as LDPE, HDPE, and PP, and the price range is 5,000-17,900 USD/unit. Among them, the unit price of single-layer LDPE film blowing extruders is mostly 7,000-13,500 USD, and the price of models with printing functions is slightly higher, about 9,800-17,900 USD.
• Large-Scale Wide-Width Type: Used for producing wide-width greenhouse films, wide-width films for packaging, etc., with a maximum folded width of more than 1500mm and an output of more than 200kg/h, and the price range is 22,000-76,450 USD/unit. For example, a high-quality automatic low-energy consumption three-layer greenhouse polyethylene film blowing machine (single-layer wide-width model) has a unit price as high as 72,800-76,450 USD.

(II) Multi-Layer Co-Extrusion Blow Molding Machines

Multi-layer co-extrusion blow molding machines work synergistically through multiple extruders, which can produce multi-layer films or containers with special properties such as barrier, fresh-keeping, and high strength. They have higher technical thresholds and significantly higher prices than single-layer models. The price difference is obvious according to the number of layers:

• Double-Layer (ABA) Co-Extrusion Model: Mainly used for producing films with enhanced toughness or barrier properties, such as shopping bags and packaging films, with a price range of 10,100-35,000 USD/unit. Among them, the unit price of a high-speed precision control ABA double-layer plastic film production line is about 32,500-35,000 USD, and the regular model is between 10,100-18,600 USD.
• Three-Layer (ABC) Co-Extrusion Model: Applied in mid-to-high-end fields such as food fresh-keeping films and high-barrier packaging films, suitable for various raw materials such as PE, EVA, and polylactic acid, with a price range of 15,000-57,000 USD/unit. For example, a newly designed intelligent ABC 3-layer co-extrusion PE film blowing machine has a unit price of 36,251-56,185 USD; the unit price of Dexinda ABC 3-layer film blowing extrusion production line is as high as 55,000-56,000 USD.
• Five-Layer and Above Co-Extrusion Model: Used in special fields such as high-end pharmaceutical packaging and new energy battery component packaging, with high-precision thickness control and environmental protection performance. The price is mostly above 20,000 USD, and the unit price of some high-end models exceeds 100,000 USD. For example, a 5-layer co-extrusion blow molding polyethylene film production line has a unit price of about 20,000 USD, while the price of models suitable for special engineering plastics can exceed 2 million RMB.

II. Price Difference by Degree of Automation Classification

The degree of automation is one of the core factors affecting the price of extrusion blow molding machines. With the improvement of automation level, the equipment has higher requirements for core components such as control systems and servo drives, and the price shows a linear growth trend.

(I) Semi-Automatic Extrusion Blow Molding Machines

It requires manual participation in raw material addition, product cutting, finished product collection and other links, with a simple control system, mainly suitable for small workshops or start-up enterprises. The price range is 3,000-15,000 USD/unit, among which the minimum price of basic mini film blowing machines is 3,000 USD, and the unit price of regular semi-automatic single-layer film blowing machines is mostly between 7,000-13,000 USD.

(II) Fully Automatic Extrusion Blow Molding Machines

It integrates functions such as automatic feeding, automatic thickness control, automatic cutting, and online inspection. Some high-end models are also equipped with MES intelligent management systems, which can realize unmanned production. The price range is 13,800-300,000 USD/unit, and the specific differences are as follows:

• Regular Fully Automatic Model: Used for mass production of standardized products such as plastic bottles and plastic bags. For example, a fully automatic 1L-20L plastic bottle extrusion blow molding machine has a unit price of 13,800-16,800 USD; a high-speed fully automatic LDPE/HDPE film extruder has a unit price of 5,000-8,000 USD (basic fully automatic model).
• Intelligent Fully Automatic Model: Equipped with servo drive system, Internet of Things function and intelligent control system, energy consumption is reduced by more than 30%, and the premium capacity reaches 20%-35%. For example, a high-speed single-screw extruder with automatic thickness control has a unit price of 21,500-22,500 USD; a high-end production line with MES system integration can have a unit price exceeding 100,000 USD.
• Large-Scale Fully Automatic Production Line: Used for producing large-scale products such as geomembranes and wide-width industrial films. For example, the HWYAA wide and thick geomembrane blow molding production line has a unit price of 240,000-250,000 USD; the high-speed three-layer co-extrusion production line dedicated to greenhouse films has a unit price of 270,000-300,000 USD.

III. Price Characteristics by Application Field Classification

Different application fields have great differences in the performance requirements of extrusion blow molding machines. Especially high-end fields have higher requirements for equipment precision, environmental protection, and compatibility, and the prices are significantly higher than general-purpose models.

(I) General Packaging Field

Covering food packaging bags, ordinary shopping bags, express bags, etc., mainly single-layer and double-layer co-extrusion models, with a price range of 3,000-35,000 USD/unit. For example, the CM-TS35 shopping bag/garbage bag extruder has a unit price of 10,000-20,000 USD; the special film blowing machine for biodegradable bags has a unit price of 8,000-17,900 USD. Due to adapting to environmentally friendly materials, the price is 10%-20% higher than that of ordinary models.

(II) Agricultural Field

Used for producing greenhouse films, mulch films, etc., requiring equipment to have wide-width processing capacity and adaptability to anti-aging materials, with a price range of 8,900-300,000 USD/unit. For example, the Ldpe lldpe PE greenhouse film extruder has a unit price of 270,000-300,000 USD; the regular agricultural mulch film blowing machine has a unit price of 8,900-25,000 USD.

(III) Pharmaceutical Field

Used for producing films for pharmaceutical packaging, supporting containers for pre-filled syringes of vaccines, etc., with extremely high requirements for equipment cleanliness, precision, and barrier properties. The unit price is 2-3 times that of industrial-grade products, and the price range is 50,000-200,000 USD/unit. Driven by the demand for high-end products, the demand for pharmaceutical packaging equipment is growing the fastest, with a CAGR of 9.3% from 2025 to 2030.

(IV) Industrial and Special Fields

Including geomembranes, new energy battery component packaging, special engineering plastic containers, etc. The equipment needs to adapt to special materials such as high strength, high temperature resistance, and recyclability, and the prices are generally high. For example, the closed-loop production system for waste PET bottle flakes and the PEEK material blow molding unit have a unit price exceeding 2 million RMB; the geomembrane blow molding production line has a unit price of 240,000-250,000 USD.

IV. In-Depth Analysis of Price-Influencing Factors

(I) Technical Configuration and Core Components

The quality and technical content of core components directly determine the equipment price. Models using imported servo motors, high-precision rotating dies, and intelligent control systems are 30%-50% more expensive than ordinary models; multi-layer co-extrusion technology requires collaborative control of multiple extruders, which increases technical complexity, and the price increases with the number of layers. The price of five-layer co-extrusion models is 3-5 times that of single-layer models. In 2024, the price of core components of hydraulic systems increased by 13% year-on-year, directly leading to an increase in the cost of related models and an 8%-12% increase in terminal prices.

(II) Production Capacity and Specification Parameters

The equipment’s output, processing width, range of applicable raw materials and other specification parameters are positively correlated with the price. When the output increases from 50kg/h to 200kg/h, the price increases by about 50%-80%; when the processing width expands from 1000mm to 1800mm, the price increases by 2-3 times. For example, the unit price of a three-layer co-extrusion model with a maximum folded width of 1200mm is 25,000-40,000 USD, while the unit price of the same type of model with an 1800mm width reaches 58,000-98,000 USD.

(III) Raw Materials and Policy Environment

Fluctuations in the prices of raw materials such as steel and polyethylene directly affect equipment manufacturing costs. During the peak polyethylene price period in 2018, the average industry profit margin dropped to 12.5%, and the prices of some models were adjusted upward by about 10%. Environmental protection policies promote equipment upgrading. The EU’s 2027 plastic tax policy is expected to drive a 25% growth in demand for recycled material-specific equipment, and the price of such models is 15%-25% higher than that of ordinary models; China’s “14th Five-Year Plan” plastic processing technology roadmap requires the utilization rate of domestic equipment to increase to more than 85% by 2025, promoting intelligent and energy-saving models to become mainstream, and further driving up the average equipment price.

(IV) Brand and Market Competition

The global high-end market is monopolized by enterprises such as KraussMaffei of Germany, and the price of their products is 3-5 times that of similar Chinese models; Chinese enterprises occupy the mid-to-low-end market with cost-performance advantages, and the product unit prices of enterprises in the industrial agglomeration belts of the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta (such as Shunde, Guangdong) are 5%-10% lower than those of enterprises in the central and western regions. Due to high R&D investment (the R&D investment ratio of leading enterprises reached 6.1% in 2024) and strong independent R&D capabilities of core components, leading enterprises have a 20%-30% higher product premium capacity than small and medium-sized manufacturers.

V. Outlook on Market Price Trends

In the next 5 years, the price of China’s extrusion blow molding machine market will show a trend of “overall growth and structural differentiation”. On the one hand, driven by the improvement of energy efficiency standards and intelligent upgrading, the average equipment price will increase by 2%-3% annually, and the price advantages of intelligent and energy-saving models and multi-layer co-extrusion models will become more prominent; on the other hand, due to fierce market competition, the price growth of mid-to-low-end basic models will be slow, and some small and medium-sized enterprises may seize market share through price reduction.

From the perspective of segmented fields, the demand for special equipment in high-end fields such as pharmaceutical packaging and new energy battery component packaging is growing rapidly, and prices will continue to rise. It is expected that the average annual growth rate of equipment unit prices in the pharmaceutical field will be 5%-8% from 2025 to 2030; driven by policies, the demand for recycled material-specific equipment and biodegradable material processing equipment will surge, and the price premium will remain above 20%. At the same time, the improvement of the localization rate of core components (it is expected that the import dependence of core components will drop to less than 20% by 2028) will partially offset the cost pressure and ease the price increase.

VI. Conclusion

The price of China’s extrusion blow molding machines is affected by multiple factors such as structural functions, degree of automation, and application fields. The price range covers 3,000 USD to more than 300,000 USD, forming a clear high, medium and low-end market gradient. Basic single-layer semi-automatic models have outstanding cost performance and are suitable for small and medium-scale production; multi-layer co-extrusion and intelligent fully automatic models are core choices in high-end fields, with high prices but significant performance advantages and premium capabilities. In the future, with technological upgrading and policy promotion, high-endization, intelligence, and environmental protection will become the mainstream development direction of extrusion blow molding machines, and prices will also tilt towards high-value-added models. When purchasing, enterprises should reasonably balance price and performance and choose suitable equipment types in combination with their own production capacity needs, application scenarios and long-term development plans.