On the morning of November 28, 2025, Kejia Mould Base Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) held the inauguration ceremony for the “Kejia–WUT Joint Research Center for Advanced Materials” and the “Talent Development Base” at the Kejia Advanced Materials Laboratory.
Xu Anjun, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Changxing County Science and Technology Bureau; Luo Guoqiang, Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at WUT; Kejia board member Zheng Gongjian; General Manager Su Jian; and Laboratory Director Su Wenbo attended the event together with representatives from government, industry, and academia, witnessing this milestone moment in advancing deep integration across industry–academia–research.
The ceremony began in a solemn and inspiring atmosphere. In his remarks, Mr. Su Jian, General Manager of Kejia, stated that Kejia has always upheld the philosophy of “Technology shapes the future, and materials define quality,” and is committed to the R&D and industrialization of high-end mold steels and advanced alloys. He emphasized that this cooperation with WUT is not only a consolidation of resources, but also an upgrade in the innovation model—from traditional “problem-solving collaboration” to a “co-evolving and co-creating partnership.” The goal is to establish a new development framework driven by both an innovation engine and a strong talent pipeline.
In his speech, Professor Luo Guoqiang, Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at WUT, emphasized that the university will fully leverage its scientific research capabilities and talent strengths to work with Kejia on tackling key technologies, accelerating the transformation of new materials from laboratory samples to production lines and ultimately to commercial applications. He expressed expectations that the joint research center and talent development base will become a model platform for university–enterprise collaborative innovation.
Director Xu Anjun of the Changxing County Science and Technology Bureau extended congratulations on the launch of the project. He noted that this cooperation marks another important achievement in promoting deep integration among government, industry, academia, research, and application in Changxing County. He stated that the Bureau will continue to provide support in policy guidance, resource coordination, and qualification applications, helping to develop Kejia’s Advanced Materials Laboratory into a regional hub for materials research, technology development, and public services.
With all guests as witnesses, General Manager Su Jian and Dean Luo Guoqiang unveiled the plaque for the “Kejia–WUT Joint Research Center for Advanced Materials,” while Laboratory Director Su Wenbo and Associate Professor Zhu Xiaomeng unveiled the plaque for the “Talent Development Base.” Warm applause marked the official start of the collaboration’s substantive operation.
Following the unveiling ceremony, representatives moved to the conference room for further discussions. They held in-depth exchanges on key topics, including laboratory development pathways, mechanisms for industry–academia–research collaboration, and policy support—further strengthening consensus and clarifying development directions.
Kejia’s Advanced Materials Laboratory is positioned as an innovation platform driven by R&D and open collaboration, focusing on the development, pilot testing, and industrial application of high-end mold steels and high-performance alloys. The laboratory plans to pursue CNAS accreditation and apply for municipal-level key laboratory status within the next 1–2 years, with the goal of becoming a provincial-level key laboratory with nationally leading capabilities within 3–5 years, driving the commercialization of 2–3 new material products.
The strong partnership between Kejia and Wuhan University of Technology represents not only a vivid example of resource complementarity and joint talent cultivation, but also an important step in promoting industrial upgrading and advancing technological self-reliance in Changxing County. Looking ahead, Kejia will continue to embrace openness and innovation, contributing sustained momentum to the development of the regional advanced materials industry.
