On April 16 local time, CITIC Pacific Special Steel launched its European R&D center, the CPS Europe Innovation GmbH in Düsseldorf, Germany. It also launched its Low-Carbon New Materials Joint Laboratory with German auto parts manufacturer Schaeffler. 

The dual inauguration is said to mark a major milestone in CITIC Pacific Special Steel's global R&D and its commitment to green innovation — and a new phase of joint R&D, shared outcomes and codevelopment with worldclass partners.

Participants in the launch included Qian Gang, chairman of CITIC Pacific Special Steel; Dr Markus Dinkel, vice president of material technologies at Schaeffler; and Annie Xu, Divisional CEO of the Rubber Reinforcement Business Unit at Bekaert. The event was hosted by Wang Haiyong, secretary of the board at CITIC Pacific Special Steel.

At the launch, Qian said the European R&D center would focus on localized R&D in new materials, innovation and sustainability to provide advanced solutions for global premium clients.

Xu Xiaohong, assistant president of CITIC Pacific Special Steel, introduced the company's green steel products, the company's guiding philosophy of "green manufacturing and manufacturing green" — as well as lowcarbon products and successful cases of collaborative carbon reductions across the sustainable supply chain.

On behalf of Schaeffler, Dr Dinkel spoke highly of the 27year partnership of both parties — especially in working together to deliver ultraclean, ultralonglife bearings — saying that the two companies shared the same values in technological innovation. He noted that the new lab would focus on innovations in lowcarbon processing, materials R&D and applications across the industrial supply chain.

Bekaert's Annie Xu extended warm congratulations on the lab's inauguration and expressed strong optimism for deeper, longterm cooperation and collaborative innovation with CITIC Pacific Special Steel.

With the launch of the new lab, CITIC Pacific Special Steel is expected to expand its collaboration with global partners, boost industrial chain upgrades through technological innovation, advance lowcarbon materials breakthroughs through joint R&D — and build a highquality industrial ecosystem through open cooperation and jointly shape a sustainable future.