Fujian Auplex Kamado Grill Co.

What Fujian Auplex Kamado Grill Co. does

Fujian Auplex Kamado Grill Co., operating under the legal entity Auplex (Fujian) Investment Group Co., Ltd. (阿普莱斯(福建)投资集团有限公司), is a privately held, founder-controlled Chinese industrial group headquartered in Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian. Founded in 2003, the group has grown to roughly 500 employees operating across two production parks (Minhou and Minqing) totaling more than 100 acres and 100,000+ sqm of self-built factory floor, with seven wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Its three strategic business units are heat transfer printing equipment (heat press, sublimation, cup press, cap press, UV DTF printers sold under the Huawang and Colorking brands), outdoor ceramic cooking products (proprietary egg-shaped ceramic kamado grills and ceramic pizza ovens under the AUPLEX and Kimstone brands), and new media/digital services through Star Scout Media.

The group monetizes through two principal channels: branded product sales (own AUPLEX, Huawang, Datiedan, Colorking and Kimstone labels) and OEM/ODM manufacturing services for international clients. Core technology centers on proprietary ceramic forming and firing processes (with patent-protected egg-shaped grill and pizza oven designs), heat transfer and sublimation mechanics, and an eco-friendly manufacturing platform that uses natural gas as primary energy, recycles glaze water, recovers tunnel-kiln waste heat, and reuses ceramic scrap. The AUPLEX trademark is registered in over 30 countries and the portfolio holds more than 50 patents.

The go-to-market is direct B2B sales to international retail chains and big-box stores; the group publicly names COSTCO, METRO, B&Q, HOME DEPOT, CTC, and BGF as long-term strategic partners, all Fortune 500 retailers. A complementary export/distributor channel serves other international markets, and an internal new-media platform (Star Studio/阿普星工场) supports brand content. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the model combines private-label/OEM supply agreements with branded retail SKUs, and the company has been recognized as Minhou County's top export enterprise for five consecutive years.

Name

Fujian Auplex Kamado Grill Co.

Legal name

Auplex (Fujian) Investment Group Co., Ltd. (阿普莱斯(福建)投资集团有限公司)

Website

https://auplex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fujian Auplex is a privately held Chinese industrial group that designs, manufactures and exports heat transfer printing equipment and patented ceramic kamado grills/pizza ovens to Fortune 500 retailers (COSTCO, HOME DEPOT, B&Q, METRO) under its AUPLEX, Huawang, Datiedan, Colorking and Kimstone brands, with OEM/ODM services alongside branded sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Cooking Equipment and Heat Transfer Printing Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Specialty Major Appliance Retail (Outdoor Kitchens, Grills, Ice Makers) (CRACACAG)

Keywords

• Heat press machines
• Ceramic kamado grills
• Outdoor cooking equipment
• BBQ manufacturing
• OEM ODM services

Headquarters

HQ city

Minhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Manufacturing & Export: Design, manufacture, and export of heat transfer printing equipment and outdoor BBQ products to international markets. Products sold to major retail chains worldwide.
2. OEM & ODM Services: Original equipment manufacturing and design services for international clients, providing customized production solutions

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Auplex Group manufactures and exports heat transfer printing equipment (heat press machines, sublimation machines, mug/cap presses, UV DTF printers) and outdoor ceramic BBQ products (egg-shaped ceramic kamado grills, ceramic pizza ovens) under its AUPLEX brand and sub-brands (Huawang, Datiedan, Colorking, Kimstone). The company also provides OEM/ODM manufacturing and design services for international clients and sells to major global retail chains including COSTCO, METRO, B&Q, HOME DEPOT, CTC, and BGF.

Product overview

Auplex Group operates as a diversified industrial conglomerate with three strategic business units: heat transfer printing equipment, outdoor BBQ/grill products, and new media/digital services. The product portfolio spans multiple brands including heat press machines under the Huawang (画王) sub-brand, ceramic kamado grills and pizza ovens under subsidiary brands, and UV DTF printer machines. The company offers both OEM/ODM manufacturing services alongside its branded products. Key product lines include egg-shaped ceramic BBQ grills with patented technology, various heat press machines (sublimation, mug press, cap press), and outdoor garden supplies. The brands serve global retail partners including Costco, Metro, B&Q, and Home Depot.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AUPLEX: Main brand for heat transfer printing machines and outdoor BBQ products
• 画王 (Huawang)
• 大铁蛋 (Datiedan)
• Colorking
• Kimstone

Products and services

• Heat Transfer Printing Machine / Heat Press Machine (热转印烫画设备) Heat transfer printing equipment including sublimation presses, mug presses, cap presses, and heat press machines for applying designs to various substrates such as apparel, mugs, caps, and other merchandise. Used by businesses offering custom printing and personalization services.
• UV DTF Printer Machine UV direct-to-film printing equipment for producing decorative transfers and prints on various substrates. Used by printing and personalization businesses.
• Egg-shaped Ceramic BBQ Grill (蛋型陶瓷烧烤炉) Patented ceramic kamado-style outdoor grill with multi-layer ceramic construction for superior heat retention and cooking performance. Flagship product with proprietary egg-shaped design and multiple invention patents, sold to international retail chains including COSTCO, HOME DEPOT, METRO, and B&Q.
• Ceramic Pizza Oven (陶瓷披萨炉) Ceramic outdoor pizza oven designed for high-temperature pizza baking with wood-fired flavor. Proprietary design with multiple invention patents, serving residential and commercial outdoor cooking applications.
• Outdoor Garden Supplies (户外花园用品) Outdoor garden products including BBQ grills, pizza ovens, and related accessories for outdoor cooking and entertaining applications.
• OEM & ODM Manufacturing Services Original equipment manufacturing and original design manufacturing services for heat transfer equipment and BBQ products, providing customized production solutions for international brands and retailers requiring private-label or branded products.
• Heat Sublimation Machine (热升华机) Heat press machine specifically designed for dye sublimation printing on various materials including textiles and hard substrates. Used by custom printing and personalization businesses.
• Cup Press / Mug Press Machine (烤杯机) Specialized heat press for applying designs to mugs, cups, and cylindrical objects. Used by custom printing and personalization businesses for drinkware decoration.
• Cap Press Machine (印帽机) Heat press machine designed for printing on hats and caps. Used by custom printing and apparel decoration businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% carbon emission reduction using clean energy (natural gas)

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• 阿里巴巴厦门网商企业家 (Alibaba Xiamen E-commerce Entrepreneurs)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2024Group of Alibaba platform e-commerce entrepreneurs conducting learning visits and exchange programs at Auplex to study company culture and management practices.
• 闽江师范高等专科学校 & 柬埔寨金边皇家大学 (Minjiang Normal College & Royal University of Phnom Penh)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024Academic partnership for international exchange program - Chinese vocational college partnering with Cambodian university conducting joint academic visits and cultural exchange at Auplex.
• COSTCOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor international warehouse club retailer - long-term strategic partnership for supplying BBQ products globally. One of Fortune 500 companies Auplex has established enduring partnerships with.
• METRO (麦德龙)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational wholesale retailer - strategic partnership for heat press machines and BBQ equipment distribution. Long-term partnership with Fortune 500 company.
• B&Q (翠丰)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based home improvement retailer - major customer for outdoor BBQ products. Strategic partnership with Fortune 500 company for global BBQ product distribution.
• HOME DEPOTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor US home improvement retailer - long-term strategic partnership for outdoor BBQ and grilling products. Fortune 500 company partnership.
• CTCmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational trading company partner - strategic collaboration for product distribution and market expansion.
• BGFmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFortune 500 company strategic partner - long-term cooperation for product supply and distribution.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Traeger Grills: Major US outdoor grill brand specializing in pellet grills, with broad retail distribution including HOME DEPOT. Comparable to Auplex as a competing outdoor cooking equipment supplier in the same retail channels, though in a different grill technology category.
• Weber: Global outdoor grilling leader with broad portfolio across gas, charcoal, and electric grills. Adjacent to Auplex's ceramic kamado business; serves same big-box retail customers but competes in adjacent product categories rather than directly in ceramic kamado.
• Masterbuilt: Outdoor cooking equipment manufacturer offering smokers, fryers, and grills via mass retail. Adjacent comparable to Auplex's outdoor cooking business in product type, channel mix, and target mass-market retail customers.
• Char-Griller: Established outdoor grill brand selling through mass and club retailers. Comparable to Auplex as an outdoor cooking supplier in the same retail distribution channels, with broader category coverage rather than ceramic specialization.

Direct peers

• Big Green Egg: The leading global ceramic kamado grill brand, founded on an egg-shaped ceramic design that directly overlaps with Auplex's flagship egg-shaped ceramic kamado grill product. Both companies target premium outdoor cooking enthusiasts via retail and DTC channels.
• HIX Corporation: Long-established heat press manufacturer specializing in sublimation and heat transfer equipment. Directly comparable to Auplex's heat press line on product, customer base (custom apparel and merchandise decorators), and distribution.
• Kamado Joe: Premium ceramic kamado grill manufacturer with strong US retail distribution. Directly competes with Auplex's ceramic kamado and pizza oven lines in the same premium outdoor cooking category.
• Geo Knight & Co: US-based manufacturer of heat press machines for sublimation, apparel decoration, and custom merchandise. Directly competes with Auplex in the heat transfer printing equipment category with overlapping OEM/ODM dynamics.
• Primo Grills: Ceramic kamado-style grill manufacturer with patented oval design. Directly comparable to Auplex in ceramic grill technology, materials, and premium positioning in the outdoor cooking category.
• Stahls' Hotronix: Leading heat press machine manufacturer serving apparel decoration and sublimation markets. Directly competes with Auplex's Huawang/heat transfer printing equipment business across product categories, channels, and customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AuplexBBQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auplexkamado

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fujian Auplex Kamado Grill Co.