Export of Prefabricated Assembly Houses

The export of domestically produced prefabricated assembly houses has shown remarkable growth, with a wide market coverage, but it also faces challenges in certification, supporting facilities, and brand building.

Export Status and Market Distribution

Domestically produced prefabricated assembly houses (modular buildings), with advantages such as rapid delivery, environmental protection, and energy efficiency, have seen a continuous increase in recognition in overseas markets. From 2015 to 2025, export volume has nearly tripled. In the first quarter of 2026, the growth rate reached 45%, and in the first four months, the export volume through the Shenzhen port increased by 19.6% year-on-year, covering more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. The ASEAN market has shown outstanding growth. For example, the 'Dongguan - Vietnam' shipping route has shortened the delivery cycle, and orders from countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia have remained stable. Meanwhile, the products have entered more than 20 countries including the UK and Australia, and are applied in scenarios such as office buildings, dormitories, oil and gas camps, and elderly care apartments.

Core Advantages of Export

1. Short Construction Period: Modules complete water and electricity installation, decoration, and other processes in the factory, with only 10% of the workload required on-site. For example, 63 modules for an elderly care apartment in the UK were hoisted and installed in two weeks.
2. Low Cost: Traditional overseas construction costs are high. Chinese prefabricated houses have a significant price advantage, save on-site labor, and have a shorter cost recovery cycle.
3. Controllable Quality: The standardized production environment in the factory ensures the precision of material processing and dimensions, with better quality stability compared to on-site construction.
4. Strong Adaptability: Solutions can be adjusted according to differences in climate, structure, and living habits in different countries, such as the design of doors and windows, water and electricity, and thermal insulation.

Main Challenges Faced in Export

1. Complex Certification: Compliance with EU CE certification, US ICC - ES evaluation, and various countries' seismic and fire protection standards is required. Some enterprises find it 'easy to obtain single-module certification but difficult to obtain certification for the entire series'.
2. Weak Supporting Facilities: Insufficient overseas installation, after-sales maintenance, and local team support affect long-term service capabilities.
3. Brand Gap: Compared with well-established European and American manufacturers, the brand premium ability is relatively weak, and there is a need to enhance market trust and competitiveness.

The export of domestically produced prefabricated assembly houses has formed a scale effect, but it is necessary to further break through international market barriers through technological upgrades, optimization of localized services, and brand building, to achieve a leap from 'exporting products' to 'exporting standards'.