On July 15, 2026, Haitian Smart Solutions shipped the first of two 9,000-ton HDC9000T ultra-large die casting cells to the wholly-owned Lexus battery electric vehicle plant in Jinshan, Shanghai. The two machines will produce the front and rear underbody sections of a new Lexus BEV as single castings. The delivery marks the first time Chinese-made ultra-large die casting equipment has won a core program from the world's largest automaker.
The timing was not quiet. The shipping ceremony landed on the opening day of CHINA DIECASTING 2026, Asia's largest die casting expo, held July 15-17 in Shanghai.
What Was Delivered
Haitian held a shipping ceremony for the HDC9000T on the morning of July 15 at its Ningbo facility, hosted by executive deputy general manager Fang Jiangting. The cell is rated at 9,000 tons of clamping force and carries what the supplier describes as an industry-first fully automatic large die-change system. The first unit is now on its way to Jinshan; the second will follow. Both cells are dedicated to front and rear underbody gigacasting for the Lexus program.
Earlier industry reports said Toyota had selected Haitian for the Lexus Shanghai plant. The ceremony confirms it.
The Plant and the Program
The Jinshan site is Lexus's first wholly-owned overseas NEV production base, and the second wholly foreign-owned vehicle plant in China after Tesla Shanghai. Total investment is RMB 14.6 billion across roughly 1.13 million square meters. Ground was broken in June 2025, main construction is complete, a dedicated substation came online in April 2026, and equipment is moving in now. Mass production is planned for 2027.
The project absorbed resources from a cancelled program. Toyota dropped the Japan-based LF-ZC BEV sedan to concentrate its BEV spending on the Jinshan-built model.
Project Numbers at a Glance
- Equipment: two HDC9000T cells, 9,000-ton clamping force each
- Application: front and rear underbody gigacasting
- Total investment: RMB 14.6 billion
- Site area: about 1.13 million m²
- Timeline: groundbreaking June 2025; substation online April 2026; mass production planned 2027
- Process gain: a conventional rear floor needs 86 parts and 33 processes; gigacasting forms it in one shot
Why One Casting Replaces 86 Parts
A conventional rear floor assembly is built from 86 separate parts through 33 processes, mostly stamping and welding. A gigacasting forms the same structure in a single shot. Production time drops from hours to minutes, and the finished part is lighter with higher rigidity. For an OEM, that means fewer tools, fewer robots, less floor space, and a shorter body line. For a new plant starting from a clean sheet, the case is straightforward.
What This Means for Die Casting Buyers
Toyota is the largest automaker in the world and historically one of the most conservative on manufacturing change. Its approval of a Chinese-built 9,000-ton cell for a Lexus core program sets a reference point every other OEM and Tier 1 will study. Expect faster qualification of Chinese die casting equipment, molds, and alloys across the supply chain, and more gigacasting tenders that include Chinese suppliers by default.
For buyers of aluminum die casting parts, the signal is simpler: die casting keeps taking work from stamped-and-welded assemblies, and the economics behind that shift just received a top-tier endorsement. Large structural castings remain their own game, served by a small number of ultra-large cells. Precision small and medium parts, such as appliance hardware and motor components, are a separate segment where capacity, tooling quality, and process control decide the supplier. Meituo's die casting and machining capabilities serve that segment, and spillover demand for molds, alloy, and secondary processing from programs like this one lifts the whole chain.
Sources
- 压铸周刊 (Die Casting Weekly), July 14, 2026 — Lexus Jinshan plant construction and 9,000T cell details
- 榆林镁业网, July 15, 2026 — Haitian HDC9000T shipping ceremony report
- 压铸早报 (Die Casting Morning Post), July 15, 2026 — CHINA DIECASTING 2026 opening coverage
- HPDC Pathshala — earlier coverage of Toyota selecting Haitian for the Lexus Shanghai plant
