Recently, to further advance the Group's business transformation and innovation, enhance cooperation and exchanges with world-class universities and internationally leading enterprises, and gain an in-depth understanding of the technological development direction and business models of industrial energy-saving services, Qin Xianming, Member of the Discipline Inspection Committee and Deputy General Manager of CTC, was invited to visit the University of Manchester and Process Integration Ltd (hereinafter referred to as PIL) in the UK, and carried out exchanges on process integration energy-saving technologies and low-carbon technologies in the cement industry.

At the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science of the University of Manchester, Qin Xianming held in-depth exchanges and cooperation discussions with Professor Nan Zhang of the School of Chemistry of the University of Manchester, who received the delegation. As the birthplace of the “Chemical Engineering” discipline and “pinch technology,” the Centre for Process Integration (CPI) at the University of Manchester has had a profound influence on the field of conceptual chemical process design in industrial practice. Since 2001, it has completed 22 projects with 156 partners from 29 European countries, making outstanding contributions to energy-saving optimization in the process industry. Qin Xianming elaborated in detail on the R&D and application of process integration technology (PIO) in the cement industry, and introduced the role and significance of this technology's algorithms in the field of material design in solving R&D and experimental problems and improving work efficiency. Professor Nan Zhang expressed strong recognition of the innovation and R&D achievements of PIO technology in the cement industry, and stated that CTC and the University of Manchester are highly complementary in the scientific research field. Both sides stated that they would establish a long-term cooperative relationship through industry-university-research integration, the transfer of relevant talent, and joint participation in relevant project development.

PIL was originally jointly established by several teachers from the Manchester Centre for Process Integration (CPI) at the University of Manchester, and was later spun off from the University of Manchester. It is mainly committed to the development of energy-saving technologies in industrial enterprises. Its current projects in petroleum refining, hydrogen management, and power plants can save hundreds of millions of dollars in costs each year, while greatly reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Robin Smith, Chairman of the company, introduced in detail the scientific research projects related to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Qin Xianming stated that China's cement industry is developing rapidly and faces a severe situation in energy conservation and consumption reduction. In the future, he hopes that both sides will further leverage their respective advantages, strengthen communication and exchanges, and jointly promote cooperation in fields such as industrial energy-saving services.