China, 28th Mar 2025 – Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics of China released the latest economic performance data, and hydroelectric investment is showing impressive results.

According to the data, in the first three quarters of this year, China’s GDP grew by 4.8%, and infrastructure investment (excluding power, heat, gas, and water production and supply industries) increased by 4.3% compared to last year. Among them, investment in water management reached 37.9%, far surpassing investment in air transport (19.2%) and railway transport (14.5%).

Entering the fourth quarter, the “steady growth” policy rolled out a series of measures, providing strong support for maintaining the high growth in hydroelectric investment.

On October 8, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China clarified that the central budget investment of 7 trillion yuan has been fully allocated, and efforts are now underway to accelerate project construction and fund distribution. On November 8, during the 12th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, it was announced that China would increase local government debt resources by 10 trillion yuan.

Industry experts note that debt relief has eased local fiscal pressure, creating more room for infrastructure investment. With water conservancy projects funded by the 2023 special bond issuance reaching peak construction and strong policy support for underground pipeline upgrades, demand for infrastructure materials like pipelines is set to rise. Leading companies like LESSO, with their advanced product offerings, extensive industry reach, and efficient market services, are well-positioned to seize the opportunity and take the lead in this period of rapid industry growth.

China’s Water Infrastructure Investment Hits New Highs

Currently, China is entering a golden period for hydroelectric construction.

From January to October 2024, the country invested 1.118 trillion yuan in water construction projects, with 974.8 billion yuan completed—setting a record for the highest amount in history. A total of 24,000 new water construction projects were started, marking the most ever in a similar period. Since 2022, China’s investment in water construction has surpassed 1 trillion yuan annually for three consecutive years.

The acceleration of hydroelectric construction is driven by both government policies and market forces.

On the demand side, China’s water resources and rainfall are unevenly distributed geographically and over time. Along with the resulting floods and disasters, there is long-term demand for water engineering investments.

For example, in 2023, natural disasters affected 95.44 million people, with agricultural crop losses covering 1,053,930 hectares, and direct economic losses totaling 345.45 billion yuan. In comparison, the investment in the construction of flood control projects for river basins in 2023 was 322.7 billion yuan, still below the economic losses caused by natural disasters, indicating significant space for the development of China’s hydroelectric investment.

On the policy side, the issuance of 1 trillion yuan in national bonds, “old-for-new” renewal measures, and the introduction of a package of incremental policies have provided a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the entire water industry chain.

In October 2023, the central government decided to issue 1 trillion yuan in special government bonds in the fourth quarter, with more than half allocated to the water sector.

At the same time, water equipment renewal policies have accelerated the upgrading of related construction materials. In March 2024, the State Council issued the “Action Plan for Large-Scale Equipment Renewal and Consumer Goods Replacement,” proposing upgrades to local water plants and pressure-regulated water supply facilities. In June 2024, the NDRC and other ministries issued the “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Water-Saving Industries,” calling for large-scale updates of water-saving equipment and consumer goods and speeding up the elimination of outdated water products and equipment.

On October 8, the NDRC proposed in its incremental policy package to encourage more private capital in major infrastructure projects such as railways, energy, and water, with priority given to urban renewal projects, including underground pipeline construction. It is estimated that in the next five years, nearly 600,000 kilometers of urban gas, water supply, drainage, heating, and other pipelines will need to be renovated, with an investment demand of approximately 4 trillion yuan.

In the capital market, China’s first water infrastructure REITs were approved in September 2024, signaling the opening of new channels for private capital in hydroelectric investment.

In the long term, however, China’s water construction still faces challenges. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the country plans to complete 5.2 trillion yuan in water investments. From 2022 to September 2024, China has invested 3.22 trillion yuan in water construction, achieving 61.9% of the 14th Five-Year Plan goal.

The “National Water Network Construction Plan” states that by 2035, the overall structure of the national water network will be formed, with the main skeleton and major arteries gradually completed. In the future, with the deep implementation of the “14th Five-Year” plan, as well as the promotion of agricultural modernization and urbanization strategies, the scale of water construction investment is expected to expand further.

 Leading Companies to Benefit First

Against the backdrop of increasing hydroelectric construction activity, which companies will benefit first and seize the new round of development opportunities?

In the industry, plastic pipes have become a key material for water supply, drainage, and irrigation systems due to their light weight, corrosion resistance, ease of construction, and long lifespan. These advantages position the industry to directly benefit from this rising cycle.

From an enterprise perspective, leading companies in the industry are gaining market attention for their strong growth logic, powerful technological innovation capabilities, comprehensive product systems, and continuously optimized operational efficiency.

Public data shows that LESSO has long held the leadership position in the plastic pipe industry. According to company reports, in 2023, LESSO, ERA Co,Ltd, and WEIXING NBM sold 2,650,000, 620,000, and 290,000 tons of plastic pipes, respectively, with revenue of 24.6 billion, 5.8 billion, and 5.4 billion yuan. LESSO has about a 20% share of the domestic market by volume, far ahead of its competitors.

LESSO has maintained its industry-leading position due to significant advantages in product, production, and cost aspects.

On the product side, Lesso is the most comprehensive manufacturer in the industry, offering over 10,000 products that are widely used in home decoration, civil construction, municipal water supply, drainage, electricity and communications, gas, fire protection, environmental protection, and agriculture.

With its robust product service system, LESSO has been highly recognized by government departments and major state-owned enterprises. In recent years, the company has actively participated in national strategic projects such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, reinforcing its leadership position.

On the production front, LESSO leads the plastic pipeline industry with its strong manufacturing capacity and significant cost advantages driven by scale. In 2023, its production capacity reached 3.26 million tons, far exceeding that of other top competitors (1.1 million, 500,000+, and 300,000+ tons for key rivals). Additionally, LESSO operates over 30 advanced production bases across 19 provinces in China and multiple overseas markets. With a vast and strategically located manufacturing network, LESSO maintains a significantly shorter average transport radius than competitors, ensuring high supply chain efficiency and further strengthening its cost advantage.

LESSO leads the industry with an extensive and dominant distribution network. By 2023, its exclusive first-tier distributors nationwide had grown to 2,853. This early-mover advantage has given LESSO a significant edge over competitors in financial strength, network coverage, project resources, and service capabilities.

A research report by GF Securities highlights that competition in the plastic pipeline industry is intensifying, with relatively low market concentration. Market share is expected to continue shifting toward leading enterprises. For instance, the combined market share of the top three listed companies (Lesso, ERA Co,Ltd, and WEIXING NBM) was just 12.9% in 2012 and 14.8% in 2015, but it increased to 22.0% by 2023. Lesso’s market share, in particular, has shown a clear upward trend. In 2023, the sales volume market shares of the top three companies changed by +1.8 percentage points, +0.1 percentage points, and -0.2 percentage points, respectively.

Multiple brokerage firms have stated that as industry concentration accelerates, companies with advantages in product quality, scale, distribution networks, R&D, and technology are more likely to secure a dominant position in the new round of industry competition.

Water conservancy infrastructure plays a crucial role in flood prevention, agricultural irrigation, and urban living, making it a cornerstone of China’s economic development.

Looking ahead, as policies promoting “New Infrastructure” and “Two Priorities” deepen, infrastructure investments are expected to accelerate further. Leading companies such as Lesso, with strong financial stability and a competitive market position, are well-positioned for long-term growth. As downstream industries continue to expand, Lesso’s growth potential is set to be fully realized.