NdFeB industry

"Daily Economic News" reporter learned that all the way up the price of rare earth, although the NdFeB processing enterprises have to cut production due to cost pressure, lost some foreign orders, but the domestic downstream manufacturers based on "buy up not buy down" Judging the increase in purchase orders, the NdFeB enterprises also benefited a lot.

However, the risk of rising rare earth prices on the long-term development of the NdFeB industry has already attracted the attention of the industry. Yan Shusen, chairman of the Shanxi Magnetic Materials Alliance, said, "If the price of rare earths rises, it will cause the entire NdFeB industry to face shuffling."

Inside and outside "two heavens"

"Because the price of materials is rising every day, today's quotation may not be available tomorrow, and more and more buyers have decided to take the shot."

"Who could have thought that prices would rise like this year? Besides, raw materials generally have no way to reserve one year. The performance of NdFeB is better than others. Companies that produce magnets, especially our listed companies, can't buy them." The person in charge of purchasing a large rare earth enterprise in the south said.

The reporter found that behind the enthusiasm for the purchase of NdFeB, the psychological effect of the rising prices of rare earths has led downstream companies and traders to “buy up and not buy down”.

The data shows that the highest price of cerium oxide in 2007 was less than 20,000 yuan / ton, and it has risen to 115,000 yuan / ton at the end of March this year; the price of cerium oxide at the end of March this year is about 2.2 times the highest price in 2007; At the end of March, the price was 630,000 yuan / ton, 2.4 times the highest point in 2007.

Compared with the “prosperity” of the domestic NdFeB market, its foreign market has been deserted. “The shortest time for foreign orders is one quarter, usually more than half a year. Because the price of materials is rising too fast, foreign orders cannot be quoted.” Yu Shusen said that the price of materials in one month has tripled, and the change in one quarter is even greater, so foreign orders cut back.

Increased industry risk

The industry risks of the NdFeB industry have also attracted more and more attention.

"The problem now is not that the goods are not enough, but the market is too much. If the price suddenly falls, there is the possibility of crazy selling."

Yu Shusen said recently that the price of rare earth has risen too fast. "If it deviates from the reasonable range, it will have a great impact on the foreign orders of NdFeB manufacturers. If it rises, it will make the whole NdFeB industry face a reshuffle."

It is reported that at present, China's NdFeB products are mainly in the mid-range, mainly used in electric self-powered (power) car motors, audio equipment, etc. The sales price has not been high, and the space for profit improvement and cost reduction is limited.

“If the price of rare earth raw materials has been kept at a high price, the middle and low-end downstream market will be greatly affected, and even the downstream enterprises will stop production and close down.” Yu Shusen believes that the middle and low-end market is likely to shrink, and this market accounts for nearly 50%. .

Another insider of the rare earth processing enterprise in Zhangzhou also said: "Now the price of rare earth has skyrocketed. If the price really reaches the unacceptable height of the market, then the downstream enterprises will stop production a lot."

The soaring price of rare earths has triggered a violent reaction in the downstream NdFeB industry.

“We can deliver the goods in up to 20 days, but now the order delivery has been scheduled for July.” Yesterday (April 25), a person from a rare earth permanent magnet company in Ganzhou, Jiangxi said.