"Guiding the New with the Old, Advancing the Old with the New" – Zhongchang New Products & Technologies Development Symposium Held at Hangzhou
Water is the source of life and essential to human survival and development. As global water scarcity intensifies, water treatment technologies have drawn increasing attention. New technologies continue to emerge – such as membrane separation, biological treatment, and advanced oxidation – providing strong support for water quality improvement.
A new year brings new beginnings. At the start of the year, in response to diverse client needs and varying water quality conditions, Zhongchang brought together talent and expertise from its R&D, marketing, and engineering departments. On the morning of January 23, a special symposium was held at the company's headquarters under the theme "Guiding the New with the Old, Advancing the Old with the New" – focusing on the development of new products and technologies.
The symposium was chaired by Dr. Ding Hongbo, a nationally recognized expert and Dean of the Zhongchang Eco-Environmental Technology Research Institute. He emphasized that technological innovation is the core competitiveness of the company, and outlined Zhongchang's strategic vision for technology and products: to evolve from a conventional technology enterprise into one with advanced proprietary products and scalable technologies, and ultimately into a transformative high-tech enterprise leading in both manufacturing and innovation. During the meeting, participants reviewed the four key phases of the technology and product lifecycle, presented a detailed innovation ambition matrix, and conducted a priority analysis for new technologies and products. Building on this foundation, a three-year plan and a 2025 action plan for technological innovation and product development were proposed. On the execution front, Zhongchang will establish a robust product R&D management system and process to support sustained innovation. In 2025, the company plans to develop a series of high-efficiency new water treatment products, advancing the transformation toward resource recovery, digitalization, and intelligentization under China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
Participants shared their views and suggestions from various perspectives – marketing, product R&D, and standardized product development processes – and expressed their anticipation for the implementation of the first new product R&D project in 2025.
The company's Chairman placed great importance on the meeting and attended in person. He noted that the symposium was a great success and that Zhongchang should hold more such technical exchange sessions. He encouraged all participants to offer objective opinions and suggestions from their professional perspectives, rather than going through the motions.
The Chairman articulated the guiding principle for Zhongchang's new product development: "Guiding the New with the Old, Advancing the Old with the New." He stressed that new product R&D must adapt to market demands, serve client needs, and address the pain points and challenges in water treatment. Standardized products should be used to deliver customized solutions for clients.
Finally, the Chairman laid out specific directives for new product R&D in 2025:
Establish the organizational framework for new product R&D as soon as possible.
The R&D department must complete comprehensive technical documentation for new products by mid‑year, ensuring seamless coordination and archiving across all relevant technical disciplines.
Innovation in new products should be centered on cost reduction and efficiency improvement – always from the client's perspective – using the most streamlined processes to achieve effluent compliance and deliver optimal process solutions.
With the rapid advancement of AI and intelligent technologies, smart water solutions must be fully integrated into subsequent new product R&D.
Seizing the moment and racing against time, Zhongchang will take this symposium as a starting point, continuing to cultivate its expertise in the water treatment industry through sustained innovation – creating greater value for clients and making even greater contributions to safeguarding our precious water resources.
