China's textile chemical fiber industry is witnessing a landmark moment: the 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award First Prize was awarded to a project focusing on green and intelligent manufacturing of the entire polyester fiber industry chain. The project, led by Tongkun Group as the primary unit, in collaboration with ten units including Donghua University and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, signifies the highest recognition of independent technological systems in the general fiber sector.
Technological Breakthroughs: A Three-Dimensional Upgrade from Green to Service-Oriented Manufacturing
Polyester fiber, as the 'staple' of the textile industry, accounts for the largest share of China's chemical fiber output, with China's overall chemical fiber production representing 70% of the global total. The core value of this project lies in its coverage of the entire industry chain, from raw materials to end products, rather than isolated improvements. Three major technological breakthroughs form the core:
- **Green manufacturing**: Pioneered a PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon production model, developed environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts and green oiling technology, reducing pollution at the source.
- **Intelligent manufacturing**: Completed full-process automation equipment upgrades, achieved large-scale domestic substitution of DCS control systems, and established an integrated control system for process and quality.
- **Service-oriented manufacturing**: Created a 'multi-head, multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization technology platform, enabling modular, digital customization of differentiated products and multi-region collaborative production.
This means polyester fiber production is evolving from mere 'production' to 'greener, more precise, and more flexible' manufacturing. For downstream buyers, this directly impacts product consistency and delivery lead times; for factories, it translates to significantly reduced energy consumption and defect rates.
Industrial Implementation: The Economic Logic Behind Over 200 Billion Yuan in Sales
The value of technological breakthroughs is ultimately tested by the market. According to publicly available industry data, the project's results have been promoted in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang, and adopted by over ten industry entities, generating cumulative new sales exceeding 200 billion yuan, profits and taxes over 10 billion yuan, and export earnings of 1.8 billion US dollars. These figures underscore a substantive leap for the polyester fiber industry chain from 'large' to 'strong.'
For Tongkun Group, the project has not only earned it a spot on the national list of 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' examples but also the titles of 'National Service-oriented Manufacturing Demonstration Enterprise' and 'National Excellent-Level Intelligent Manufacturing Demonstration Factory.' For a leading chemical fiber company, such technological endorsement strengthens its position in overseas market expansion and domestic supply chain competition.
Notably, the project has established a complete independent intellectual property system, including 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards. In an era where technological barriers are increasingly critical, this is a vital safeguard for industrial security.
International Cooperation: The Disciplinary Influence Behind the Donghua University Scholar's Award
At the same award ceremony, Professor Elsa Reichmanis, Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials at Donghua University, received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China. This three-time US academician has long been committed to promoting Sino-US scientific exchanges and has collaborated deeply with Donghua University since 2013, co-training talent and publishing 18 high-level papers.
This award reflects that China's textile disciplines are actively integrating top international intellectual resources while transitioning from 'following' to 'running alongside' or even 'leading.' For the industry, the deep involvement of international scholars helps enhance the global academic influence of Chinese fiber materials and reserves talent for subsequent technological iterations.