Three Chinese aluminum cold plate makers target EV and battery storage demand

Trumony Aluminum, Sanhua Intelligent Controls and Yinlun Machinery are positioning themselves as major suppliers of aluminum cold plates as EV and battery storage demand accelerates in 2026. The companies are competing on customization, scale, testing and system integration for thermal management programs.

Why it matters: - EVs and battery energy storage systems need better thermal management as demand grows. - Aluminum cold plates are gaining share because they are lighter and cheaper than copper-based alternatives. - The shift matters for OEMs that need lower cost, scalable cooling components for battery packs and power electronics.

What happened: - Three Chinese manufacturers emerged as notable suppliers of aluminum cold plates in 2026: Trumony Aluminum Limited, Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Yinlun Machinery Co., Ltd. - The companies were highlighted for different strengths in liquid cooling plate design, production scale and application-specific solutions. - The market snapshot focused on EV, battery energy storage and power tool thermal management applications.

The details: - The global cold plate market is projected to grow at an 18% compound annual rate through 2030. - Aluminum cold plates, especially stamped and brazed versions, are favored for thermal conductivity, weight and cost efficiency. - Industry estimates say aluminum cold plates can cut material costs by up to 30% versus copper tube designs. - Stamped cooling plates and brazed cooling plates are increasingly used for mass production of battery modules and packs. - Trumony, founded in 2017 and based in Suzhou, focuses on thermal management components including aluminum cold plates, liquid cooling plates for EVs, BESS cooling plates and cooling tubes. - Trumony operates a 100,000-square-meter factory, reports annual output of 600,000 units and employs about 220 staff, including 25 R&D engineers. - Trumony holds ISO 9001 certificate 132998 and IATF 16949 certificate 0489498. - Trumony exports to 56 countries, including Germany, France, the United States and India. - Trumony supplies stamped cooling plates and brazing cooling plates with customized thickness and cooling efficiency. - A French automotive OEM project delivered 2,000 battery cooling plates for a paint shop environment and has reportedly run stably for two years with low noise. - A separate 60,000-unit order for a Vietnamese automotive OEM has reportedly remained in reliable service for two decades. - Trumony offers customization for dimensions, cooling efficiency and logos, with a minimum order quantity starting at 1 unit and a 30-day lead time. - Trumony performs 100% air leakage testing and offers optional helium tightness, voltage resistance and burst tests. - Sanhua, listed in Shenzhen as 002050, is positioned as a global thermal management supplier with valves, pumps and cooling plates in its integrated supply chain. - Sanhua serves major EV makers in China, Europe and North America. - Sanhua’s cold plate portfolio includes aluminum and stainless steel versions, with an emphasis on high-efficiency flow channels and brazed assemblies. - Sanhua spends more than CNY 2 billion a year on R&D and operates multiple factories with combined capacity of millions of units annually. - Sanhua is especially strong in complete thermal management modules for passenger EVs, integrating cooling plates with chillers and valves. - Yinlun, listed in Shanghai as 603766, is a supplier of heat exchangers and thermal management products for automotive and industrial markets. - Yinlun was founded in 1958 and is based in Tiantai, Zhejiang. - Yinlun has expanded into EV battery cooling over the past five years with aluminum liquid cooling plates, water cooling plates and power storage cooling plates. - Yinlun operates manufacturing bases in China, the United States and Europe, with annual capacity above 20 million heat exchangers. - Yinlun’s cold plate products are used by Chinese and international battery pack integrators. - Yinlun’s testing includes helium leak detection and thermal cycling, and its automated brazing lines support large-format plates for container-level energy storage systems. - The three companies are described as having ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 quality systems suited to automotive and energy storage use.

Between the lines: - Trumony appears aimed at buyers that need fast turnaround, low minimum orders and custom designs. - Sanhua is better positioned for large OEM programs that want a broader thermal system, not just a cooling plate. - Yinlun’s edge comes from long experience in heat exchangers and the ability to scale large-format products for storage deployments. - The competitive field is shifting from standalone parts to integrated thermal management, testing depth and supply chain reliability.

What’s next: - Demand for aluminum cooling plates is expected to keep rising as EV and ESS deployments expand. - Procurement teams will likely choose suppliers based on customization, volume, lead time and integration capability. - Industry analysts say robust quality control and responsive after-sales support will become more important differentiators. - Chinese manufacturers appear well placed to win more global business because of manufacturing scale, cost structure and process innovation.

The bottom line: - Trumony, Sanhua and Yinlun are competing in a fast-growing thermal management market, but each is targeting a different buyer need: agility, system integration or mass-production scale.