The First Shanghai New Materials Additives Exchange Conference Successfully Held

With the support of relevant departments of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the “First Shanghai New Materials Additives R&D Application and Technology Exchange Conference” was successfully held on the afternoon of September 20, 2022, at Shanghai Qiguang Group. The event was hosted by the Additives Professional Committee of the Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association and organized primarily by Shanghai Qiguang Group. Mr. Jin Ye, from the New Materials Division of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, attended and delivered a speech.

Mr. Jin Ye, from the New Materials Division of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization

The conference aimed to foster dialogue and collaboration around the research, application, technological innovation, and future development trends of new material additives. Although small in scale, additives play a powerful and wide-ranging role as the “unsung heroes” of industrial production and key application scenarios. Participants emphasized the need to increase R&D efforts and market expansion to maximize the role of additives—transforming them from “invisible” to “well-recognized” contributors to the advancement of new materials.

Mr. Xu Guoqing, senior consultant of Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association

To standardize the development of the polyurethane additives sector and drive product and technological innovation, the Additives Professional Committee of the Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association was jointly established in December 2021 by Shanghai Qiguang Group and 18 other companies.
The committee focuses on serving the additives industry, promoting collaboration among enterprises, building connections with advanced international companies, encouraging the application of frontier technologies, and supporting downstream enterprises. Its ultimate mission is to advance the green, fast, and sustainable development of the polyurethane industry.

Mr. Zhang Qiming, vice president of Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association, chairman of the additives professional committee, and chairman of Shanghai Qiguang Group

Zhang Qiming, Vice President of the Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association, Director of the Additives Professional Committee, and Chairman of Shanghai Qiguang Group, highlighted that the hosting of this conference is rare and memorable. He encouraged the industry to stay committed to its goals, keep innovating, and take steady, incremental steps forward. “By jointly addressing current market conditions and future trends in additives R&D and applications, we can achieve excellence, and the springtime of the polyurethane industry will surely come,” Zhang remarked.

Jin Ye commended the important role of the Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association in advancing additives development. He noted that the conference not only attracted Shanghai-based companies but also enterprises from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and beyond, underlining both the importance of the meeting and the value of the committee as a collaborative platform. He stressed the need to leverage this platform more fully to match R&D demands with specialized additive products and to promote broader cooperation.

Mr. Zhang Wenkai, vice president of Shanghai Polyurethane Industry Association and general manager of Shanghai Menhover New Material Technology Co., Ltd

Representatives from over 20 organizations attended, including Shanghai Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Shanghai Qiguang Group, Evonik Specialty Chemicals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Menhover New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Qike Fluorosilicone Materials Co., Ltd., Kubay Chemical, Jiangsu Meiside Chemical Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Chongyao Technology Development Co., Ltd., Aosjia New Materials Technology Research (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Layan Industrial Co., Ltd., Shanghai Bicheng Chemical Trade Co., Ltd., Kingfa Technology, Shanghai Shenhua Industrial Co., Ltd., Huafeng Group, Shanghai Xinyuan Sponge Co., Ltd., Dow Chemical, Gaoqi Chemical, and the Shanghai Branch of Xiamen Bank.

Seven organizations—including Shanghai Qiguang Group, Shanghai Menhover New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Kubay Chemical, Shanghai Qike Fluorosilicone Materials Co., Ltd., Kingfa Technology, and Shanghai Nuoje Furniture Sponge Co., Ltd.—delivered reports on additive R&D and market applications.

Participants engaged in dynamic exchanges, agreeing that additives are crucial in enhancing material performance and that upstream and downstream collaboration is essential. Many downstream companies in polyurethane and modified plastics expressed their willingness to co-develop with additive producers, noting: “As long as the additive delivers strong performance, cost is not an obstacle.” They also expressed hope that similar exchange conferences will continue, serving as platforms for communication, coordination, and joint progress across the value chain.