After more than 40 days of technical upgrades and maintenance, Hunan Haohua plans to resume production in the near future.

After more than 40 days of technical upgrades and maintenance, Hunan Haohua plans to resume production in the near future!

Science and Technology Development Guidelines for the Petroleum and Chemical Industries during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period

Science and Technology Development Guidelines for the Petroleum and Chemical Industries during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period 1. Overview of Industry Development The petroleum and chemical industries are fundamental raw material and energy sectors in China’s national economy, providing critical support to various other industries. These industries utilize resources such as petroleum, coal, natural gas, natural minerals, and biomass, producing downstream products including gasoline, diesel, coal, lubricants, agricultural chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides, basic organic and inorganic raw materials, synthetic polymers, and specialty and fine chemicals. The petroleum and chemical industries are characterized by a wide variety of products, strong industrial linkages, and high intensity in technology, capital, and energy consumption. In 2019, China had approximately 26,000 large-scale enterprises in the petroleum and chemical sectors, employing over 6 million people. Total main business revenue reached RMB 12.27 trillion, with the chemical industry accounting for RMB 6.88 trillion. Profits totaled RMB 668.367 billion, and total import and export value amounted to US$722.21 billion. In 2020, large-scale enterprises reported operating revenue of RMB 11.08 trillion, down 8.7% year-on-year; total profits were RMB 515.55 billion, a decrease of 13.5% compared to the previous year; and total import and export value stood at US$629.77 billion, down 12.8% year-on-year. Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic downturn in 2020, all major economic indicators declined. Nevertheless, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the sector achieved impressive growth rates: average annual increases of 4.51% in added value, 4.17% in operating revenue, 5.95% in total profits, and 3.74% in total import and export value (with exports growing at an average annual rate of 2.66%). China is truly a major player in the petroleum and chemical industries. In 2010, the sector experienced rapid expansion, with total sales reaching RMB 8.88 trillion, ranking second globally behind the United States. For the first time, the chemical industry surpassed the U.S. in sales, securing the top position worldwide—a status it has maintained ever since. By 2017, China’s chemical sales had reached €1.29 trillion, exceeding the combined sales of the U.S. (€466 billion) and Europe (€402 billion). By 2019, China’s chemical sales had surpassed those of the U.S., Europe, and Japan combined. 2. Major Achievements in Scientific and Technological Innovation During the 13th Five-Year Plan Period During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, as the national innovation-driven development strategy was implemented more deeply, investment in scientific and technological innovation across the industry steadily increased, leading to enhanced innovation capabilities and remarkable achievements. Throughout this period, the proportion of patent applications filed by China’s petrochemical industry relative to the global total grew annually, reaching 69.49% by 2020—an 84.96% increase over five years. Additionally, during the 13th Five-Year Plan, the petroleum and chemical industries obtained more than 297,500 authorized patents, up from 182,700 granted during the 12th Five-Year Plan—an increase of 114,800 patents. The sector also received a total of 152 National Science and Technology Awards and conferred 1,094 industry-specific science and technology awards. Furthermore, 36 national-level enterprise technology centers, 24 national technology innovation demonstration enterprises, and 33 joint engineering laboratories and research centers were established. 2.1 Breakthroughs in Advanced Exploration and Development Technologies Ensured Stable Oil and Gas Production and Supply PetroChina’s Changqing Oilfield, through sustained efforts to advance exploration and development technologies for low-permeability reservoirs, achieved breakthroughs in numerous key technologies and earned over 100 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological awards, laying a solid foundation for maintaining stable crude oil production at 50 million tons per year. Sinopec, relying on independent innovation, made significant advances in exploration and development theories, geophysical exploration, wellbore technologies, and equipment development. It discovered and successfully developed China’s first—and currently largest—shale gas field, the Fuling Shale Gas Field, making China the first country outside North America to achieve large-scale shale gas development. This achievement was awarded the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2017. Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Co., Ltd., in collaboration with China University of Petroleum and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a comprehensive suite of exploration and development technologies. Using these technologies, the company added 1.7 billion tons of proven reserves, increasing China’s annual crude oil output from 3.8 million tons to 12.41 million tons. With ten consecutive years of production growth exceeding 10 million tons annually, the Ordos Basin emerged as China’s largest oil and gas production base, significantly contributing to national energy security and socioeconomic development in the northern Shaanxi revolutionary old base area. This achievement received the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2016. Meanwhile, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and other institutions, after eight years of collaborative research, pioneered new theoretical and technical approaches for exploring and developing large-scale, deep-layer condensate gas fields in the Bohai Bay Basin. Their work revealed that, following extensive hydrocarbon generation in source rocks, large-scale, high-intensity gas generation could still occur under specific conditions, confirming that the Bohai Bay Basin possesses the necessary geological foundations for forming massive gas fields. This groundbreaking achievement was awarded the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2019. 2.2 Mastery of Modern Coal Chemical Technologies with Independent Intellectual Property Rights Maintained China’s International Leadership Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, amid global trends toward diversified feedstocks, China’s modern coal chemical industry accelerated its development, overcoming numerous core technical challenges related to advanced coal gasification, indirect coal-to-liquids, and coal-to-ethanol processes. Through pilot projects, key technologies and equipment have been commercialized. Advanced coal gasification technologies such as multi-nozzle opposed-flow slurry gasification, aerospace pressurized pulverized coal gasification, and water-cooled wall waste heat recovery gasification are now advancing toward long-term, large-scale implementation. Ningxia Coal Industry Company, part of the State Energy Group, invented a highly active, selective, and wear-resistant Fe-Mn-based Fischer–Tropsch catalyst for its 4-million-ton-per-year indirect coal liquefaction demonstration project, pioneering a novel high-temperature slurry-bed Fischer–Tropsch synthesis process. The company also resolved engineering bottlenecks associated with large-scale Fischer–Tropsch reactors, completing 27 major domestic equipment and material localization tasks. As a result, they developed an integrated system for large-scale indirect coal liquefaction along with clean operation technologies, achieving safe, stable, and environmentally friendly operations, thereby significantly advancing China’s indirect coal liquefaction industry. Meanwhile, the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed “third-generation methanol-to-olefins (DMTO-III)” technology. Pilot test results showed a methanol conversion rate of 99.06%, an ethylene-propylene selectivity of 85.90% by weight, and a methanol consumption of only 2.661 tons per ton of olefins—far lower than the approximately 3.0 tons per ton of olefins required by earlier generations. DMTO-III technology has already been licensed, and its next-generation catalysts are being applied in multiple existing million-ton-scale DMTO industrial plants. 2.3 Innovative Development of New Chemical Materials and High-End Chemicals Addressed Critical Gaps and Strategic Weaknesses, Driving Industry Toward Mid-to-High End China has made groundbreaking progress in advanced polymer materials, high-performance resins, specialty synthetic rubbers, high-performance fibers, functional membrane materials, electronic chemicals, and other key areas within the realm of new chemical materials and specialized chemicals. Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. developed a complete industrial chain manufacturing technology for aliphatic isocyanates (ADI), breaking a 70-year-long foreign monopoly on ADI-related technologies. This initiative fostered the world’s most comprehensive, technologically advanced, and fully integrated ADI industry cluster, enabling domestically produced, self-sufficient supplies of critical raw materials for aerospace, military, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, and energy conservation and environmental protection industries. Shandong Dongyue Polymer Materials Co., Ltd., building upon its success in developing the first domestically produced chlor-alkali membrane, further created a new generation of high-current-density, low-cell-voltage, high-performance chlor-alkali ion exchange membranes. Dongyue’s “next-generation perfluorinated ion exchange membrane” effectively replaces imported products, marking another milestone in the development of domestic chlor-alkali ion exchange membranes. Jinfa Technology Co., Ltd. developed internationally leading high-temperature-resistant semi-aromatic nylon PA10T series, achieving industrialization of semi-aromatic high-temperature nylons and breaking foreign technological and market monopolies in this field, thus seizing a strategic competitive advantage. Hubei Xingfa Group developed key technologies for producing ultra-pure electronic-grade phosphoric acid and highly selective etching solutions for chip manufacturing. By overcoming challenges in preparing ultra-pure yellow phosphorus and developing phosphate-anhydride barrier corrosion-resistant technologies, they produced ultra-pure electronic-grade phosphoric acid with impurity levels below 10 ppb. Additionally, through innovative techniques for precisely controlling etching rates in chip etching solutions, they successfully formulated highly selective phosphoric acid-based etchants. 2.4 Research and Development of Advanced Process Intensification and Resource Utilization Technologies Greatly Enhanced the Industry’s Green Development Level Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, the entire industry has actively developed and promoted advanced process intensification and resource utilization technologies, vigorously advancing clean production and circular economy practices. Overall energy consumption and energy use in key products have continued to decline, while emissions of "three wastes" have been significantly reduced. China University of Petroleum (Beijing), responding to the pressing need for ultra-clean gasoline produced via C4 alkylation, developed a completely new green, safe, and environmentally friendly C4 alkylation technology and built the world’s first 100,000-ton-per-year composite ionic liquid C4 alkylation industrial plant, breaking foreign monopolies on clean gasoline production and solving a decades-old global challenge plaguing the refining industry. Tsinghua University and Wengfu Group jointly developed micro-channel wet-process phosphoric acid purification technology, reducing food-grade phosphoric acid production costs by 23.8% compared to traditional thermal methods and by 4.2% compared to imported wet-process purification technologies. Suzhou University and others developed a multi-catalyst embedded enrichment technique for removing low-concentration VOCs, addressing the issue of low efficiency in enrichment and catalytic degradation under low-concentration pollutant conditions, thereby providing viable engineering solutions for removing VOCs and recalcitrant organic compounds from low-concentration exhaust gases and wastewater. Nanjing Tech University independently developed organic-inorganic composite membranes for recovering organic solvents, enabling the recycling and reuse of high-purity organic solvents in the chemical raw materials and product manufacturing industries. 2.5 Development of Key Technological Equipment Boosted the Industry’s Level of Equipment Self-Sufficiency Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, China has actively conducted research and development on offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration and development equipment, storage and transportation systems, and related technologies, making significant contributions to adjusting the structure of oil and gas resources and ensuring national energy security. Successful development of ultra-deep well drilling rigs capable of reaching depths of tens of thousands of meters, large-scale deep-water seismic survey vessels and engineering geological exploration ships along with their supporting equipment, high-precision marine seismic exploration systems, and comprehensive three-dimensional logging evaluation tools for complex offshore oil and gas reservoirs has provided robust technical and equipment support for safeguarding China’s maritime rights and advancing the country’s oil and gas industry into deeper waters and overseas markets. In terms of refining equipment, the main unit for heavy oil catalytic cracking has now been localized.The successful development of key static and dynamic equipment—including high-pressure hydrogenation reactors, threaded‑lock ring type high-pressure heat exchangers, high-pressure air coolers, centrifugal compressors, and reciprocating compressors—marks a significant leap forward in China’s refining industry’s equipment capabilities. In the coal chemical sector, domestic production has been achieved for large compressor units (for air separation and recycle gas), large gasifiers, large synthesis reactors, and automated control systems, signifying that China’s modern coal chemical industry now possesses an independent and self-reliant technological equipment support system. China’s petrochemical technology and equipment industry is experiencing robust growth, with substantial progress across specialized sectors such as oil drilling and extraction equipment, refining and petrochemical equipment, coal chemical equipment, and rubber industry equipment. By investment value, the localization rate of refining equipment exceeds 90%, while the localization rates for million‑ton‑scale ethylene plants and downstream facilities stand above 85%. Modern coal chemical equipment boasts a localization rate exceeding 90%, and rubber equipment approaches approximately 95%. 3 “14th Five-Year Plan” Development Opportunities and Challenges Today, science and technology are more profoundly shaping global economic development, social progress, and human well-being than at any other point in history. Innovation has become a crucial pathway to addressing pressing global challenges—including energy and resource scarcity, environmental degradation, natural disasters, and public health—and serves as a primary driver of economic and social advancement. 3.1 Development Opportunities The “14th Five-Year Plan” period represents a historic juncture where China aims to achieve its “Two Centenary Goals.” It is also a critical phase in the transformation of China’s petroleum and chemical industries from being merely large producers to becoming strong, competitive leaders. As pillar industries of the national economy, these sectors not only supply end products to downstream markets but also provide essential raw materials to upstream industries. High-quality industrial development places immense demands on scientific and technological innovation: (1) To meet the needs of key national economic sectors—such as electronics, new energy, transportation, and aerospace—as well as major national infrastructure projects, it is necessary to vigorously develop advanced technologies for producing high-end petrochemical products, building upon efforts to address existing shortcomings; (2) To satisfy increasingly sophisticated consumer demands, product quality must continually improve, with particular emphasis on developing green agrochemicals and customized chemical solutions; (3) To secure strategic advantages in emerging industries, intensive basic research and breakthroughs in critical technologies are required, enabling the mastery of cutting-edge technologies and the creation of strategically important products; (4) To promote green and safe development, low-carbon technologies, inherently safe processes, and related equipment need to be developed; (5) To deepen the integration of informatization and industrialization, digital, information-based, and intelligent technologies must be steadily advanced. 3.2 Challenges Faced In this era of unprecedented global change, the “14th Five-Year Plan” period presents both rare opportunities and numerous challenges for technological innovation within the industry. 3.2.1 External Environmental Challenges The international environment remains severe, complex, and volatile. The COVID‑19 pandemic has wreaked havoc worldwide, triggering profound global restructuring. The global economy has deteriorated sharply, supply chains have suffered severe disruptions, and trends toward deglobalization, unilateralism, and trade protectionism have gained momentum. International scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges have been severely hindered. 3.2.2 Internal Issues Key issues persist in the industry’s technological innovation: (1) Overall corporate innovation capacity remains weak; (2) Mechanisms for collaborative innovation and the ability to translate research outcomes into practical applications urgently require improvement; (3) Product innovation and development capabilities tailored to end‑market needs remain insufficient; (4) Cultivating innovative talent—especially leading experts—remains a long-term challenge. 4 Overall Vision and Development Goals Given the distinct circumstances and evolving environment, technological innovation during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period will differ markedly from previous eras. First, there will be a stronger emphasis on self-reliance and independence, shifting the focus from primarily following or keeping pace to achieving both parallel leadership and eventual dominance. Second, beyond addressing current “bottleneck” technologies, innovation will increasingly target future strategic needs. Third, in tackling critical common technologies and major scientific challenges, greater attention will be paid to cross-disciplinary collaboration and partnerships between upstream and downstream sectors. 4.1 Overall Vision Guided by problem‑oriented, goal‑oriented, and results‑oriented principles, and aligned with the overarching requirement of supporting the new dual-circulation development paradigm, we will deploy the “innovation chain” around the “industrial chain” and arrange the “industrial chain” based on the “innovation chain.” Efforts will concentrate on strengthening, extending, and complementing industrial chains, emphasizing technological self-reliance and independence. Through breakthroughs in key technologies, the development of high‑end products, and the establishment of innovative platforms, we aim to enhance the industry’s capacity for technological supply, ensure the stability and security of industrial and supply chains, and drive high‑quality industrial development. 4.2 Development Goals During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, we will develop a suite of critical common technologies; overcome 30–50 bottleneck and “chokepoint” technologies hindering industry progress; and, in priority areas, create 80–100…

How far are agrochemical companies from achieving smart manufacturing?

How far are agrochemical enterprises from achieving intelligent manufacturing? Hot Topic With the continuous advancement of science and technology, global manufacturing is accelerating its transition into the era of intelligence. Intelligent manufacturing—characterized by the deep integration of next-generation information technologies with advanced manufacturing techniques—has become a core driving force. The convergence of big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence with manufacturing not only empowers traditional production factors but also breaks the constraints imposed by limited supplies of labor, capital, and land on economic growth, providing both the foundation and the possibilities for sustained industrial upgrading and transformation. Intelligent manufacturing is continually overcoming the limitations of conventional manufacturing, giving rise to new business models and propelling the industry toward a new stage of high-quality development. I. Overview of Intelligent Manufacturing Intelligent manufacturing refers to information-based production that spans the entire product lifecycle under ubiquitous sensing conditions. Built upon cutting-edge technologies such as modern sensing, networking, automation, and human‑like intelligent systems, it leverages intelligent sensing, human–machine interaction, decision-making, and execution capabilities to achieve smart design processes, manufacturing workflows, and equipment. It represents a deep fusion and integration of information technology, intelligent technologies, and manufacturing equipment technologies. By updating the concept of manufacturing automation, it extends flexibility, intelligence, and high levels of integration. Characterized by smart factories as its platform, intelligent key manufacturing stages at its core, end-to-end data flows as its foundation, and network connectivity as its support, intelligent manufacturing can shorten product development cycles, reduce resource and energy consumption, lower operational costs, boost productivity, and enhance product quality. The development of intelligent manufacturing is generally a gradual process. It requires carefully determining the roles each technology can play and its position within the overall production system, based on specific production needs and the characteristics of different developmental stages. Ultimately, the goal is to integrate these technologies with existing enterprise production management units, forming an organic whole that effectively achieves corporate objectives. II. Three Stages of Intelligent Manufacturing Development The evolution of intelligent manufacturing should be a step-by-step process. Depending on production requirements and the unique attributes of various technologies at different stages, it is essential to appropriately define their respective roles and positions within the broader production framework. The ultimate aim is to seamlessly integrate these technologies with existing industrial automation systems, creating a cohesive whole that efficiently supports corporate goals. Based on the challenges addressed and the role played within the overall production system, the development of intelligent manufacturing can be broadly divided into three phases. Phase 1: The Initial Stage. Building upon the establishment of traditional industrial automation systems, companies begin leveraging advanced tools such as industrial big data analytics and artificial intelligence to enable functions like image recognition and fault prediction. These capabilities reveal both visible and hidden states in the production process, assisting operators in making informed decisions and optimizing the performance of automated systems. At this stage, intelligent manufacturing primarily operates within individual production units—such as assembly lines, workshops, or warehouses—enabling localized upgrades toward highly automated and digitized facilities. This results in reduced manpower or even fully unmanned operations. Intelligent manufacturing systems collect diverse data, enabling digital perception and analysis of production conditions, thereby supporting managerial decision-making. Phase 2: The Intermediate Stage. As sensors, controllers, biometric technologies (e.g., video and audio), the Industrial Internet, blockchain, and other foundational and integrated technologies mature and gain widespread adoption, enterprise-level intelligent manufacturing systems acquire more comprehensive and precise insights. Issues related to system reliability, usability, cost-effectiveness, as well as concerns about industrial data security and trustworthiness, are progressively resolved. Within specific parts of the enterprise—such as particular production units or functional areas—an autonomous yet relatively complete intelligent system takes shape. By establishing a closed-loop data cycle encompassing “state perception–real-time analysis–autonomous decision-making–precise execution–learning and improvement,” software-driven automated data flows help mitigate uncertainties inherent in complex systems, optimizing production processes under given timeframes and target scenarios. In this phase, for specific production units or functions, intelligent manufacturing systems serve not only as advisory think tanks but also assume the role of decision-makers, taking a leading position in local production management. Relying on real-time production data, they assess current conditions, formulate control decisions, issue execution commands, and subsequently refine and adapt the system based on feedback received after implementation. Phase 3: The Advanced Stage. With an increasing number of production units adopting intelligent manufacturing, systems transition from auxiliary roles to commanding positions, forming multiple locally autonomous intelligent systems. Enterprises establish smart decision-making and integrated management platforms powered by next-generation information technologies—including cyber-physical systems, big data, artificial intelligence, and edge computing—equipped with self-perception, self-organization, and self-decision-making capabilities. These systems deliver real-time, scientifically grounded decision directives, allocate resources efficiently, and strive for precision, efficiency, quality, low consumption, safety, and environmental sustainability, comprehensively elevating overall operational standards and advancing the steel industry toward high-quality development. At this stage, driven by the deep integration of next-generation information and communication technologies with advanced manufacturing techniques, intelligent manufacturing systems permeate every aspect of enterprise operations—from research and development, process planning, and production to safety, finance, human resources, procurement, warehousing, marketing, and customer service—acting as decision-makers across all levels of production activities and assuming a dominant leadership role. A fully autonomous system emerges, embodying a new mode of production characterized by self-awareness, self-learning, self-decision-making, self-execution, and self-adaptation. Regardless of the stage, the purpose of intelligent manufacturing is not to replace humans with machines, but rather to employ more efficient and reliable technologies and systems to enhance human–machine collaboration and achieve high-quality development. III. Current Status of Intelligent Manufacturing in the Pesticide Industry In recent years, China’s pesticide industry has witnessed rapid advancements in engineering and technological capabilities. With the continuous upgrading and application of electronic and digital instruments, level measurement devices, safety monitoring systems, and control systems such as DCS (Distributed Control Systems), PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers), SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), major pesticide production processes have achieved varying degrees of automated control and integrated production information management. Optimization and control of operating parameters, enhanced safety measures, improved production scheduling, and elevated management standards have all seen significant progress. Pilot projects involving continuous synthesis lines, multifunctional synthesis workshops, “unmanned workshops,” “dark factories,” and smart warehouses continue to proliferate. The pesticide industry has steadily progressed from artisanal workshop-style production toward process-oriented, automated manufacturing, gradually moving into an intelligent phase supported by big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Leading companies in the sector have actively pursued intelligent transformation and upgrading across R&D, production, warehousing, marketing, and resource management, successfully enhancing intrinsic safety, improving product quality and production efficiency, reducing costs, and achieving favorable economic returns. However, the overall development of intelligent manufacturing in the pesticide industry remains in its infancy, facing several pressing technical challenges. For instance, supporting technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence have yet to be fully utilized; traditional application architectures remain unbroken, and the construction of smart factories is still in the exploratory and localized implementation stages. Many enterprises struggle with complex production parameter datasets, and basic data collection infrastructure is insufficient to support intelligent applications. Production units operate relatively independently, lacking unified standards, interfaces, and coding systems, which hinders interoperability and data sharing, resulting in information silos both internally and externally and preventing the full realization of the value embedded in vast amounts of data. Moreover, collected data often cannot be effectively integrated, processed, or utilized as a basis for decision-making. In addition, the prevalence of small and medium-sized enterprises in the pesticide sector—with weak IT foundations, scarce specialized talent, and limited financial resources—further constrains the overall progress of intelligent manufacturing in the industry. IV. How Can the Pesticide Industry Achieve Intelligent Manufacturing? At present, most companies in the pesticide industry remain traditional producers. Although many executives recognize that intelligent manufacturing holds the key to future transformation and upgrading, what enterprises truly need are practical, tailored solutions suited to their specific circumstances. Many firms adopt a wait-and-see approach, preferring tried-and-true, off-the-shelf paths to minimize trial-and-error costs and uncontrollable risks. Intelligent manufacturing is a long-term, incremental, and continuously improving systems engineering endeavor. Given the pesticide industry's dual nature—combining batch and continuous production—the task of intelligent transformation is exceedingly complex, with no shortcuts available. Different enterprises, distinct product processes, and varied management foundations will inevitably lead to different implementation pathways, requiring customized development based on specific contexts. There currently exists no one-size-fits-all universal solution. So, how can pesticide companies realize intelligent manufacturing? First, optimize top-level enterprise design and redefine the present while charting the future. Senior management should adopt forward-looking strategic thinking, thoroughly analyze their current stage of development and specific needs, identify pain points and align with strategic objectives, correctly understand the characteristics of the initial phase of intelligent manufacturing, reasonably anticipate the investment and return timelines associated with intelligent upgrades, and develop concrete, actionable plans and roadmaps for implementing intelligent manufacturing, proceeding gradually and refining over time. Second, prioritize localized or unit-specific intelligent upgrades. After completing automation and digitalization efforts, enterprises should establish standardized criteria for building smart factories, select strategic partners for implementing intelligent initiatives, actively introduce new technologies and equipment, and upgrade existing machinery to incorporate smart functionalities. Special attention should be paid to localized or unit-level intelligent transformations. Simultaneously, establish and refine intelligent production management systems, network distributed production facilities, and ensure robust IT and digital infrastructure, maintaining integrity and leaving room for future technological innovation and iterative improvements. Third, emphasize the recruitment and training of skilled personnel to support intelligent manufacturing. Intelligent manufacturing hinges on human–machine collaboration rather than replacing humans with machines; the successful implementation and operation of intelligent systems depend critically on professional expertise. Timely translating cutting-edge technological advances into tangible economic benefits requires skilled technicians who remain the "core productive force" of the enterprise. In September 2021, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly issued technical skill standards for a range of professions supporting intelligent manufacturing, including intelligent manufacturing engineers, artificial intelligence engineers, IoT engineers, integrated circuit engineers, cloud computing engineers, industrial internet engineers, and digital management specialists.In the coming years, talent shortages in the field of intelligent manufacturing will be alleviated to some extent through university education and vocational training programs. Pesticide companies also need to plan ahead and systematically attract and cultivate the skilled personnel required for smart manufacturing initiatives. Fourth, actively expand financing channels and secure effective support policies. Implementing intelligent manufacturing or undertaking smart upgrades requires substantial capital investment, which to some extent restrains enterprises’ willingness to pursue such transformations. According to statistics, among companies with annual revenues below 500 million yuan, 50% rely on their own funds for smart upgrades, 25% receive government subsidies, while bank loans and capital market financing each account for approximately 11%. Over the past two years, the pesticide industry has enjoyed robust growth, attracting increasing attention and favor from the capital markets, making this an opportune moment to embark on intelligent transformation. Furthermore, governments at various levels have introduced a series of supportive and incentive policies aligned with the "Made in China 2025" strategy, involving numerous issuing authorities. Enterprises should proactively seek out and leverage these policies to facilitate the successful implementation of smart upgrading projects. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, intelligent manufacturing will serve as the core direction for technological advancement in the pesticide industry. Smart upgrades will enable pesticide companies to better monitor production processes in real time and optimize scheduling, thereby further improving product quality, boosting production efficiency, enhancing intrinsic safety, reducing costs, and conserving resources—ensuring stable, safe, continuous, full-capacity, and high-quality operations, ultimately maximizing corporate profitability. Moreover, intelligent manufacturing will help elevate the pesticide industry chain toward higher-end, smarter, and greener practices, driving high-quality, sustainable development.

China has, for the first time, achieved the artificial synthesis of starch, a breakthrough that could revolutionize future food production!

China has, for the first time, achieved the artificial synthesis of starch, a breakthrough that could revolutionize future food production! Can carbon dioxide be used to synthesize starch? In response to this seemingly fantastical question, Chinese scientists have provided a definitive and detailed answer after more than six years of intensive research. Following their pioneering achievement in the 1960s—the world’s first successful artificial synthesis of crystalline bovine insulin—Chinese researchers have now made another major, groundbreaking, and original advance in synthetic starch production: they have, for the first time internationally, realized de novo synthesis of starch from carbon dioxide in the laboratory. A landmark paper detailing this major scientific breakthrough in artificial starch synthesis, led by the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was published online in the prestigious international journal Science in the early hours of September 24, Beijing time, effectively “opening a window” for industrial-scale production of starch from carbon dioxide. This engineered pathway synthesizes starch at a rate 8.5 times faster than natural corn starch production, marking a significant step toward the goal of designing systems that surpass nature itself. It lays a new scientific foundation for creating bio‑systems with novel functions, while also paving the way for future starch synthesis from carbon dioxide, potentially enabling the industrial biomanufacturing of starch in the years to come. Industry experts note that if the cost of the artificial carbon‑dioxide-to‑starch process can eventually be reduced to an economically viable level compared with traditional agricultural cultivation, it could save over 90% of arable land and freshwater resources, mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of pesticides and fertilizers, and help foster a sustainable bio-based society, thereby enhancing global food security. Moreover, the latest findings demonstrate a hybrid chemical–biological approach to artificial starch synthesis—using carbon dioxide and hydrogen produced via electrolysis—in a cell-free system, known as ASAP. This innovative method offers a fresh perspective on technological pathways toward achieving the goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. According to the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, starch is not only the primary component of staple foods but also a crucial industrial feedstock. Currently, most starch is produced through natural photosynthesis, where crops like corn fix carbon dioxide. The synthesis and accumulation of starch involve more than 60 metabolic steps and complex physiological regulation, with a theoretical energy conversion efficiency of only about 2%. Conventional crop cultivation requires long growing cycles, substantial land and freshwater resources, and significant inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. With food crises and climate change posing major challenges to humanity, ensuring a sustainable supply of food starch and finding ways to convert and utilize carbon dioxide have become strategic priorities for global scientific innovation. Designing artificial biological systems to fix carbon dioxide and synthesize starch without relying on plant photosynthesis represents a transformative technology with far-reaching implications. Since 2015, the institute has focused on artificial starch synthesis and the biological conversion of carbon dioxide, conducting demand-driven research, pooling internal and external innovation resources, and strengthening integration across disciplines, projects, and platforms. This effort has fostered the organic fusion and efficient collaboration of diverse research teams, culminating in the formation of an elite group of young scientists with an average age of just 30. Over six years, they have devoted themselves to advancing the development of artificial starch synthesis. The team designed a novel, non-natural pathway comprising 11 enzymatic reactions to fix carbon dioxide and synthesize starch. In the laboratory, they achieved, for the first time, the complete de novo synthesis of starch molecules starting from carbon dioxide. Adopting a “building‑block” approach, and in collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the CAS, they used chemical catalysts to reduce high-concentration carbon dioxide into C1 compounds under conditions of dense hydrogen energy. They then engineered new enzymes capable of polymerizing C1 compounds into C3 units, following principles of chemical polysaccharide synthesis. Finally, through further biological optimization, these C3 compounds were assembled into C6 molecules, which were subsequently transformed into both linear and branched starches (Cn compounds). Furthermore, by coupling chemical catalysis with biological catalytic modules, the team developed innovative technologies for efficiently harnessing high-density energy and concentrated carbon dioxide. Through spatiotemporal separation of reaction steps, they addressed issues such as substrate competition, product inhibition, and thermal/kinetic mismatches, thereby expanding the capacity of this artificial photosynthesis system. Under current technical parameters, with sufficient energy input, a single cubic meter-sized bioreactor could theoretically produce annual starch yields equivalent to those obtained from five acres of corn cultivation—based on China’s average corn starch yield per acre. This achievement makes it possible to shift starch production from traditional agricultural methods to industrial manufacturing, opening up new technological avenues for synthesizing complex molecules from carbon dioxide feedstocks. The remarkable, disruptive advances made by Chinese scientists in artificial starch synthesis have been widely praised by domestic and international peers, who describe them as a quintessential “0-to-1 original breakthrough,” a major leap forward in expanding and elevating the capabilities of artificial photosynthesis, and a research achievement of “groundbreaking, world‑changing significance.” These accomplishments are said to hold revolutionary implications not only for future agriculture—especially food production—but also for the global bio‑manufacturing industry, marking a milestone that will bring transformative changes to the next generation of bioproduction and agricultural practices.

Glyphosate orders are already booked through the fourth quarter, and there will be virtually no new production capacity in the coming years. How can imported yellow phosphorus be obtained?

Glyphosate orders are already booked through the fourth quarter, and there will be virtually no new production capacity added in the coming years. How can imported yellow phosphorus be obtained? On September 10, 2021, the price of 95% glyphosate technical grade rose from RMB 52,000 per ton to RMB 60,000 per ton. On September 16, 2021, the price increased again, from RMB 60,000 per ton to RMB 65,000 per ton. Between September 21 and 22, 2021, the price climbed further, from RMB 65,000 per ton to RMB 70,000 per ton. In less than 15 days, the price of glyphosate technical grade surged by RMB 18,000 per ton. Taking a 30% glyphosate aqueous formulation as an example, the net cost per ton of finished product has risen by at least RMB 5,400. According to confirmation with upstream suppliers, the current quoted prices for 33% ammonium glyphosate aqueous formulations are RMB 23,000–23,500 per ton for the 1 kg size, RMB 25,000 per ton for the 200 g size, and RMB 22,500 per ton for the 5 kg size. Meanwhile, 41% ammonium glyphosate aqueous formulations are currently out of stock nationwide, with no manufacturers willing to produce them. For 757 ammonium glyphosate powder, the lowest quoted price is RMB 2.8 per 50‑g bag, while 88 ammonium glyphosate powder starts at RMB 3.2 per bag; moreover, market availability remains limited, with many producers supplying only long‑term customers. The recent hike in glyphosate technical-grade prices is primarily driven by production restrictions on yellow phosphorus in Yunnan, which caused its price to surge from RMB 30,000 per ton to RMB 60,000 within just one week. Although yellow phosphorus prices have since stabilized, glyphosate technical-grade continues to climb—likely due to severe shortages in the yellow phosphorus market triggering panic buying, combined with insufficient inventory held by glyphosate producers who are adopting price increases to ration supply. With no new production capacity expected in the near term, glyphosate inventories continue to decline. Currently, China’s glyphosate supply remains stable, with little change in production capacity over the past five years. In 2020, total capacity stood at 730,000 tons, while output reached 562,000 tons—a year-on-year decrease of approximately 4%. Following flooding in 2020 that forced some producers to suspend operations, glyphosate inventories remain significantly lower than historical levels for this time of year. Under environmental protection policies and safety‑related reforms, numerous small and medium-sized enterprises have exited the industry, leading to a healthier competitive landscape increasingly dominated by a few major players. Internationally, February 2021 saw cold‑weather impacts, followed later by hurricane-related disruptions. Overall, overseas suppliers’ production cuts appear inevitable. According to Guojin Securities, as a mature product with many years of sales history, global glyphosate supply and demand are currently in a tight balance, with virtually no additional production capacity expected in the coming years. At present, manufacturers have filled most orders through the fourth quarter of 2021, leaving limited pressure on sales. Meanwhile, raw material prices—such as yellow phosphorus and glycine—remain relatively high, providing support to glyphosate costs. Market feedback indicates that, given ongoing hurricane damage to overseas facilities and uncertainty about resumption timelines, coupled with the approaching peak purchasing season, producers are actively raising prices to align with prevailing conditions. Dongwu Securities forecasts that yellow phosphorus output may face substantial reductions in the fourth quarter of 2021, further driving up glyphosate prices through rising costs. Among listed companies, Runfeng Co., Ltd. specializes in producing and exporting glyphosate formulations; in 2020, its exports of various glyphosate products corresponded to roughly 60,000 tons of glyphosate technical grade. Over recent years, the company has consistently ranked first among Chinese pesticide exporters. Xingfa Group’s subsidiary Taisheng currently operates 180,000 tons per year of glyphosate capacity (including Inner Mongolia Xingfa’s 50,000‑ton‑per‑year facility), making it the largest producer in China. Jiangshan Co., Ltd. boasts 70,000 tons per year of glyphosate technical‑grade capacity. Hebang Biotech produces 200,000 tons per year of dithiothreitol, with a yield ratio of approximately 1.5:1—meaning 1.5 tons of dithiothreitol yields 1 ton of glyphosate.