Fluorine-Silicon Industry: Stimulating Development Vitality through Reform and Innovation

On April 14th, the 2017 China Fluorosilicon Industry Summit Forum and China Fluorosilicon Industry Wind and Cloud Awards Ceremony were held in Beijing. Promoting the supply side structural reform of the industry, advancing technological innovation, and stimulating the development vitality of the fluorosilicon industry have become hot topics of discussion among the attending leaders, experts, and business representatives.

Pan Aihua, Deputy Director of the Raw Materials Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out that in 2017, the focus of work in the field of chemical new materials should be on: firstly, researching and proposing a construction plan for a high-performance composite materials innovation center, with a focus on carbon fiber composite materials; Secondly, research and develop a plan for the establishment of a demonstration platform for the production and application of new electronic chemical materials; Thirdly, we need to further sort out the short board varieties with high dependence on the import of new chemical materials, implement important products and key enterprises, and make breakthroughs one by one.

Fu Xiangsheng, Vice President of the China Petrochemical Association, pointed out that fluorosilicon materials have become an important industry in the national economy, widely used in important fields such as national defense and military industry, electronic information, and high-end manufacturing. Currently, they are facing challenges such as overcapacity, lack of high-end products, and strong desire for expansion. He proposed that in order for the fluorosilicon industry to break through, the first step is to seize opportunities, accelerate the research and development and serialization of high-end products through innovation, and enhance the supporting capabilities and overall competitiveness of fluorosilicon materials; Secondly, it is necessary to strengthen horizontal collaborative innovation, which has significant effects in fully utilizing innovation resources from all parties, improving the starting point and efficiency of innovation, and shortening the innovation cycle; The third is to strengthen vertical collaborative innovation between upstream and downstream.

Li Dianguo, Assistant Director of the Collaborative Supporting Center of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, stated that fluorosilicon materials have very important applications in national defense and military industry. He believes that the development focus of fluorosilicone materials during the 13th Five Year Plan period includes: utilizing the import substitution special project to organize substitution research on high-quality phenyl silicone rubber, fluoroether rubber, etc; Taking application as the driving force and mature preparation as the goal, further improve the product system and achieve independent guarantee; Arrange a batch of high-strength fluorosilicone rubber with cross band significance and fluoroether rubber with a tolerance level of -40 ℃ in advance.

Cao Xianjun, Chairman of the China Fluorosilicon Organic Materials Industry Association, stated that in order to promote supply side structural reform, management, and technological innovation in the fluorosilicon industry, the association has awarded two Chinese fluorosilicon industry bases, rated 11 units as AAA level credit enterprises, and issued four group standards including "Tetrachlorosilicon for the Production of Gaseous Silicon Dioxide".

In 2016, the silicone industry went through a mixed journey of joy and sorrow, with overall performance better than in 2015. Yang Xiaoyong, Director of the Organic Silicon Special Committee of the China Fluorosilicon Association, analyzed that the improvement of the industry situation is due to the alleviation of supply and demand contradictions, environmental issues leading to some enterprises stopping production or reducing output, rising raw material prices, some foreign companies stopping production, increasing export volume, and market demand recovery.

Wang Jianzhong, Secretary General of the Organic Fluoride Special Committee of the China Fluorosilicon Association

The total amount of fluorine chemical industry in China has jumped to the top in the world, but compared with advanced fluorine chemical enterprises internationally, the technological level is relatively backward, and the extensive development mode has not been eliminated. Wang Jianzhong, Secretary General of the Organic Fluoride Special Committee of the China Fluorosilicon Association, suggested that enterprises should accelerate product structure adjustment around the needs of aerospace, high-end equipment, electronic information, new energy, automobiles, rail transit, energy conservation and environmental protection, medical health, and national defense and military industries, extend to the high-end of the industrial chain, and produce high value-added and high-tech products. At the same time, enterprises need to improve their safety and environmental protection levels and strengthen the comprehensive utilization of resources.

Yu Haitao, Vice President of Technology at Dongyue Group Co., Ltd., stated that fluorosilicon enterprises should gradually improve their industrial system, rely on existing foundations to adapt to new technological development trends, achieve the transformation from "traditional manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing", and vigorously implement transformation and upgrading, innovation driven development strategies.

Feng Caihu, Chairman of Hubei New Blue Sky New Materials Co., Ltd., is full of confidence in the prospects of the organic silicon industry. He gave an example that 18 years ago, only Jihua and Beier Chemical were producing organic silicon monomers, with an annual output of about 50000 tons. The current market volume is over 2 million tons per year, with an annual growth rate of 30%, which is three times the GDP growth rate. Compared to the decline of the traditional petrochemical industry, the thriving organic silicon industry requires entrepreneurs to make this industry better, bigger, and stronger.

Zeng Qingming, Chairman of Shandong Baolongda Industrial Group Co., Ltd., stated that as a well-known brand of silicone adhesive products in China, while improving existing products, we also pay attention to cutting-edge new technologies and products, and use technology to enhance product value.

This forum is hosted by the China Fluorosilicon Organic Materials Industry Association, with over 200 representatives from the government, industry associations, fund investment companies, and the business community attending.