Shandong Zibo Builds China'S "New Material Capital"

New materials refer to newly developed or developing materials with superior properties, which are superior to traditional materials.

As the foundation and forerunner of new and high technology, new materials, together with information technology and biotechnology, are the most important and developing potential in twenty-first Century.

Zibo city of Shandong province has a good industrial foundation. Abundant mineral resources such as coal, coke, quartz and kaolin provide ample favorable conditions for the early modern industrial development, such as glass manufacturing and coal mining.

However, in recent years, the contradiction between traditional extensive industry and resources, energy and environment has become increasingly prominent. Zibo has begun to graft and pform traditional pillar industries such as chemical industry, ceramics, building materials, textiles and garments with new and high technology, and vigorously develop new materials industry.

At the ninth new material technology forum this year, Zibo was awarded the title of "new material name city" by China Material Research Society.

According to Wang Dingqi, vice mayor of Zibo, Zibo has now formed seven new material industrial clusters, including advanced ceramic materials, new chemical materials and new refractory materials. Among them, the scale of industrial production such as green refrigerant, plasticizer and refractory fiber ranks first in Asia.

By the end of 2009, Zibo's new material enterprises above Designated Size had developed to 308, accounting for 10.5% of the industrial enterprises above designated size.