A research report from Guoxin Securities, published July 22, 2026, puts hard numbers on a shift many in the die casting industry have been watching: precision die casting is moving into AI data center hardware, fast. The report covers Foryou Group (002906.SZ), one of China's largest precision die casters. Its zinc alloy die cast parts for optical communication modules and high-speed connectors are already in volume production, and its aluminum cooling parts for AI server cabinets have won a project nomination from an international customer.
For an industry where automotive has been the default growth story for years, the report reads as a demand signal from a completely new direction.
What the Report Shows
- Zinc parts at scale. Foryou's zinc die cast housings for optical modules and high-speed connector components are in mass production, and multiple AI data center server parts are already shipping into the data centers of leading domestic tech companies. This product line reached roughly RMB 600 million in 2025 and has been doubling year on year.
- Aluminum cooling parts. The company's aluminum heat-dissipation components for AI server racks won a project nomination from an international customer. It is also developing cold-forged optical module housings and copper alloy liquid cooling plate components, with copper parts already validated by a lead customer.
- Capacity following demand. New capacity at the Huizhou and Thailand plants releases through 2026, explicitly to fill AI-related orders. Robot joint modules and head structural parts in magnesium and aluminum are in late-stage talks with two leading customers.
Foryou's customer list in this segment includes Molex, TE Connectivity, and Amphenol, the top tier of the global connector industry.
Why Data Center Hardware Runs on Zinc and Aluminum Castings
Optical module housings are a natural zinc die casting application, and the reasons are physical rather than historical. An optical module converts electrical signals to optical ones at high speed, and its housing has to shield electromagnetic interference, pull heat away from the optics, hold precise mating dimensions, and accept plating for corrosion protection, all in a part the size of a thumb. Zinc alloy casts thinner walls and finer detail than aluminum, provides inherent EMI shielding, and takes plating directly, which is why it remains the standard material for these housings.
Server and rack-level cooling hardware runs the other way. Heat sinks, cabinet structural parts, and liquid cooling plates need thermal conductivity, low weight, and stiffness at larger sizes, which is aluminum's home ground. The result is a two-metal demand profile that maps almost perfectly onto a conventional zinc-plus-aluminum precision die casting plant.
What This Means for Die Casting Buyers
AI data center construction is competing for the same precision casting capacity that appliance, automotive, and industrial buyers already use. Connector and optical module programs are locking in production lines now, and the casters winning that work are the ones with automotive-grade quality systems, in-house tooling, and plating or finishing under one roof. For OEM buyers with 2026-2027 programs, qualifying a supplier early is the practical hedge against tightening capacity.
This demand pattern is familiar territory for Meituo. We have produced zinc die casting hardware for appliance and industrial OEMs for over 25 years, including plated connector-class and hinge-class precision parts, and our aluminum die casting lines produce housings and heat-management components with in-house CNC finishing. The alloy, tooling, and inspection disciplines the AI segment is now demanding are the same ones running on our floor today.
Sources
- Guoxin Securities automotive team via Sina, July 24, 2026 — Foryou Group: automotive intelligence and lightweighting, AI and robotics expansion (in-depth report, published July 22)
- Stockstar research digest, July 23, 2026 — precision die casting orders across automotive and AI segments
- NetEase repost of the Guoxin in-depth report, July 24, 2026 — zinc optical module and connector parts at scale, RMB 600M product line
