After more than a month’s public statement through Internet, Kaifeng Carbon Co., Ltd. Zhongping Energy & Chemical Group (KFCCZECG) received the authorization as a national new and high-tech enterprise on 15th, Dec. 2010. This honor followed the authorization of corporate techno-center by Henan Development & Reform Commission and the approval of setting up engineering technological research centers by Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, which was the third recognition of KFCCZECG’s technological innovative ability by the government in this year.

Kaifeng Carbon has been focusing on production, quality, R&D and customer service since its commercial production in 2006. Besides, on the basis of implementation of introduced advanced technology, KFCCZECG has sped up upgrading technology and made great efforts to develop new process, new technology and new products of self-owned intellectual property. For recent years, the UHP graphite electrodes of KFCCZECG have not only firmly held domestic market, but also successfully entered international market, which is the achievement of the strategy of developing the company by relying on research and development.

To develop the company by relying on research and development, it is necessary to increase investment in R&D. For the past two years, the R&D investment of KFCCZECG reached 3% of the overall sales income. The investment is mainly applied to modifications and upgrading of R&D apparatus and environment, production process and equipment. The company has built a special base for technological research, which is furnished by R&D apparatus valued up to ￥300 million, among which the Thermogravimetric Analyzer from Switzerland  is valued at ￥300,000 which is the only one in Chinese carbon industry to analyze dynamic changes of pitch and green stock after heat treatment. And the company is actively promoting equipment and process modification and cooperation with universities and research institutions.

To develop the company by relying on research and development, it is necessary to accelerate talent team setup. KFCCZECG attaches great importance to attract, employ and train talented personnel, and makes it a key issue to set up a scientific talent team. In return, personnel construction provides intelligent support to the development of the company. At present, there are 71 staff members with bachelor degrees, accounting for 17.1% of the whole personnel, and there are 206 staff members with associate degrees,  49.6% of the whole personnel. Besides, it is worth noting that 144 staff members, 34.7% of the total employees, are technical personnel, 53 of which are specialized in research and development, making up 12.8% of the staff.

It is the great importance attached by Kaifeng Carbon to technological innovation that keeps it a lead in carbon industry of China. Having been selected as a experimental innovative enterprise by Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology in 2009, Kaifeng Carbon gained three honors in series in 2010, which is not only recognitions of its hard work in technological innovation, but also brings in preferential treatment of the government in tax and financial support.