What I realised after spending two weeks in Shenzhen
3DP War Journal #55
As some of you may already know, I spent the first two weeks of July in China, at the headquarters of Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology – the company more widely known around the world under the brand Bambu Lab. The following, last week I spent back in Poland, dealing with current matters and, in my own way, re-acclimating to the Central European climate and environment.
But I must admit, with each passing day I discover just how much that two-week journey changed me.
No, it wasn’t any kind of revolution. Shenzhen is a fantastic and spectacular city, but not enough to turn my rather stable (and to some extent dull) life completely upside down.
It's more a multitude of small things that make me see the world differently.
And yet, I feel that the consequences of those small things are quite significant...
Before we go any further, one important disclaimer: due to my obligations, I won’t be discussing any business or market-related topics concerning Bambu Lab itself. My statements might seem vague or overly general—and thus exaggerated—but they are true. If anything, they're understated. What I'm writing here is everything I can write—sorry if that disappoints you, but it is what it is.
Let’s begin!
1. Shenzhen is halfway between Poland (or any other European country) and Blade Runner 2049
There are no replicants or flying cars (yet), but drones delivering packages are a completely normal sight. The sky-high skyscrapers are covered in glowing nighttime light effects and massive digital ads.
Due to its geographical location, night falls in Shenzhen just after 7:00 p.m. (for comparison, in Poland it's closer to 9:00 p.m.). As a result, the illuminated buildings are visible for most of the evening—you don’t have to wait until late at night as you do in Europe.
With over 20 million residents, Shenzhen experiences traffic jams during rush hour. But the only thing you really hear is car horns—roughly 90% of the vehicles are electric, so there’s no engine noise, and you don’t smell any exhaust.
Although I spent most of my time near the coast, a few trips to the city center and outskirts made it clear that this is also quite a green metropolis. It’s not plagued by the “concrete-ification” you see in my hometown (Łódź).
The downside? The tropical climate—temperatures above 30°C (86°F) and overwhelming humidity. For northman like me, it was like breathing steam.
2. The camera is always watching you, but in return, you’re always safe
I grew up in the '90s in a block of flats in the post-communist city of Łódź, at a time when unemployment was at 20%. So to speak - it wasn’t a particularly safe place.
In the 2000s, I lived in downtown, at the gates to an economic ghetto. There, constant police sirens, street patrol interventions, fights, rivers of cheap alcohol poured into screaming throats, and the sound of shattering bottles were everyday background noise.
But after 2010, things began to change, and today, in the 2020s, most Polish cities are actually very safe.
Still, Shenzhen feels even safer. At least, that’s how it felt to me. Walking the streets of this 20-million city around midnight, it was hard to imagine any kind of danger—even hypothetically. People of all ages, dressed in a wide variety of styles (often quite casual), were strolling through streets, parks, and squares as if it were the middle of the day.
For comparison, a short walk I took last November in Frankfurt—dragging my suitcase from the main train station to a nearby hotel (about 2 km on foot)—was a completely different experience. I was mentally prepared for just about anything.
And that insane guy screaming frantically in my direction from across the street—I still don’t know if he was shouting at me or just screaming into the void?
Yes, that 5-day Frankfurt experience was a very different feeling than Shenzen. And I say this from the perspective of someone who grew up in a poverty- and violence-stricken, post-communist industrial city.
On the other hand, I don’t think there was even a single moment in Shenzhen when I wasn’t being watched by at least one camera. Well—every gain comes with a cost…
3. This is not exploitation – it’s unbelievable efficiency
It’s commonly said that China owes its economic advantage solely to extremely low wages and the exploitation of its workers. I don’t know? Maybe that’s still true in some areas – but not in Shenzhen.
The workday is standard – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a lunch break. Sure, some people stay longer, but that’s nothing I haven’t seen in other European countries. And I certainly can’t say that the people I worked with for two weeks were poor...
I didn’t look into anyone’s wallet (people in China don’t really use wallets – everything is paid for with smartphone apps), but in terms of lifestyle and appearance, no one seemed any different from employees of tech companies in Poland. If anything, it was quite the opposite...
What really struck me was the incredible efficiency. It’s hard to describe – you simply feel it. It seems like everyone is performing at 100% without it even feeling like extra effort.
The many meetings we held were always focused and substantive, and everything we discussed was clear and to the point.
Comparing it to my experiences from other companies and industries before I entered the AM field, I had the impression that no one wanted to waste even a single minute on unnecessary tasks or activities. Work fits into a defined timeframe and is done as well as it possibly can be. It’s so different from Europe, where most workplaces are pure Dilbert comic strips...
4. Data is everything
Everything is measured, verified, and analyzed. Simulations are based on numbers—not hunches or assumptions. Everything is driven by data. That’s where things start—and that’s where they end.
And yet, this emphasis on numbers doesn’t make the work feel soulless. It simply minimizes speculation and theorizing. If something isn’t truly important or doesn’t translate into a measurable outcome, it’s not taken seriously.
Again, this ties back to efficiency – it seems that the Chinese focus on things with the highest probability of success. But at the same time, everything must align mathematically.
Take the electrification of transportation as an example – in Europe, it’s a concept that’s often completely disconnected from economic reality. As a result, it not only risks breaking down the economic model of three-quarters of the continent’s countries, but the implementation of these Brussels technocrat plans has very low efficiency.
Meanwhile, in Shenzhen, it’s already a lived reality. Out of hundreds of cars I saw everyday, only a few were still running on combustion engines (I specifically looked out for them). In the city center, I spotted just two gas stations!
I get the sense that someone did the math first, prepared everything, and then started rolling it out. Not the other way around—not just announcing a plan and hoping it all magically happens, gradually tightening the screws on those who resist.
5. China isn’t competing with the West – it’s competing with itself
Okay, that’s a bold claim, so I’ll limit it to the AM sector. Based on what I saw and the conversations I had, Western companies aren’t really something that Chinese firms are overly concerned about.
Let’s just say they’re “aware of Western competition.”
Yes, I think that’s the right way to put it...
But on the other hand—let’s be serious... Even if I revealed some information to a company like Ultimaker, what would those poor folks even do with it? Implement it?
C’mon, huh...
The innovation train has already left the station, and there’s no way to catch up now. I say this because I’ve seen what I’ve seen.
In general, my conclusion is this: while Western countries have been busy arguing with themselves and engaging in cultural debates, the Far East has stayed focused on economy, development, and technology.
And now we’re seeing the results.
Let me return again to electric cars. After two weeks in Shenzhen, all those local back-and-forths in Europe between governments, automakers, and end-users feel totally abstract. I’ve seen how it works—it works beautifully. But it’s only possible because of all the groundwork that was done beforehand.
Chinese cars are stunning, yet affordable. The charging infrastructure is publicly available and widespread. While in Shenzhen, combustion-engine cars feel like relics of a lost civilization, in Poland (and other European countries), they’re still a necessity—because the infrastructure just isn’t there. And nobody wants to pay 30% more for a car, just for a green license plate.
So when am I moving to China?
Despite the best efforts of certain interest groups, Poland remains a green island compared to the rest of Europe. We’re still a very safe country with a dynamically growing economy. Even though we’re a long way from Shenzhen, I appreciate other things that are part of my culture.
So personally, I’ll stay where I am for now.
But I know there are places in Europe where I’d strongly suggest reconsidering how you view China.
Certainly not from above, as has been the case until now.
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Been to Shenzhen and 6 other cities in China, and totally agree with your write up. The country truly competes with itself - their purpose is to progress for the country, its economic success particularly in tech is for its people.