Recently, the Science and Technology Department of Hubei Province released the "Top 100 List of Hubei High-tech Enterprises 2023". Jingmen GEM Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Jingmen GEM"), located in a fourth-tier city, made the list again and jumped to fifth place.

The Top 100 List of Hubei High-tech Enterprises was first released in 2021, with a focus on encouraging enterprises to rely on innovation-driven development, and is made with a total of 15 specific indicators in 3 aspects, such as innovation input, innovation output, innovation potential, and others. These include highlighting the indicators of R&D input, R&D staff, innovation platform, high value of intellectual property rights, industrial influence, and other customized factors. Notably, Jingmen GEM jumped from 14th place in 2021 to 5th place in 2023, reflecting GEM's perseverance in high-quality, innovation-driven development.

Innovative development encourages the company to persevere in industry competition and achieve stability and growth. By 2023, GEM's core product ternary precursor shipments exceeded 170,000 tons, an increase of more than 10% year over year, and through innovative production of new generation products to occupy the world's high-end market segment, thus demonstrating outstanding resilience against the background of serious overcapacity in China's new energy industry chain.

How does GEM practice innovation excellence in a fourth-tier city?

Innovation lies in GEM's DNA.

"Excellent Talent + Excellent Equipment + Excellent Innovation = Excellent Technology" is the formula for GEM's innovation and development. This has propelled GEM from the fourth-tier city of Jingmen to the head of a global industrial chain and supply chain company.

GEM's development history is a history of sustainable innovation! In 2004, Professor Xu Kaihua came to Jingmen, Hubei Province to start a business with an achievement (Guangdong Province Science and Technology Progress First Prize). Starting from zero, to the output value exceeding 30 billion yuan, innovation created the birth of tens of billions of dollars of industry, making Hubei a high-tech manufacturing and green development. It is a perfect illustration of the innovation and development brought about by the surge of power.

"Since 2015, we have invested massively in R&D. Between 2018 and 2022, the cumulative R&D investment reached 4,354 billion yuan, of which 1,476 billion yuan in 2022, accounting for 113.94 percent of the net profit of the period." Said Dr. Zhang Kun, President of GEM Central Research Institute.

In 2010 and 2018, the company won the National Science and Technology Progress Award two times, led and participated in the formulation and revision of more than 470 standards, filed more than 3,700 patents globally, covering more than 10 countries such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and ranked 233rd among the top 500 patents in China. The company was selected from the top 50 list of "2021 Forbes China Most Innovative Companies", and was ranked 7th on Hurun China Private Companies SDG Readiness 100 List. Other great achievements of the company include being included in the list of the 50 Smartest Companies in China in 2021 by the authoritative international science and technology business media, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Review (MIT Technology Review)......

Implement the Innovation Multiplier Program and Super Technology Research Program, and further increase investment in scientific research and the construction of innovation platforms.

"Whether it is equipment or funding, GEM has given a big 'go-ahead' for our research." Said Song Huawei, a postdoctoral fellow who left GEM in 2023 and director of the GEM Green Industry (Wuhan) Innovation Research Institute.

In recent years, relying on the two innovation platforms of the National Engineering Research Center of WEEE Recycling and the National Enterprise Technology Center, GEM has established seven research institutes in Shenzhen, Jingmen, Indonesia, Wuxi, Taixing, Wuhan and Jiangxi. In addition, GEM has configured world-class high-precision testing equipment as well as advanced engineering testing platforms such as the Digital Engineering Test Center, and actively conducts research on industry-leading technologies as well as common technical problems in recycling electronic waste resources and remaking new energy materials. The company actively conducts research on industry-leading technologies and common technical difficulties, carrying out more than one hundred major research projects such as the National Science and Technology Support Program, the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program), and the National Key Research and Development Program, and has become an industry-profitable enterprise that dares to invest in vigorous innovation.

In order to enhance the innovation strength, in 2023, GEM formally implemented the central research institute system, unified planning innovation strategy, unified innovation tactics, unified formation of innovation talents, unified definition of innovation goals, unified scheduling of innovation speed, unified planning of intellectual property rights, and fully "keep pace with competition, hold the key to guide the needs" of high-efficiency innovation. At the same time, the company has comprehensively multiplied its innovative conditions and capabilities in battery recycling, lithium-nickel-cobalt resource recycling research, ternary precursor material research, and frontier material research, and has implemented the innovative measures of "class-based system and group-based research" to make a great impact on advanced technology in the world.

Invest in talent, make talent better, and activate the leading goose effect of innovative talent.

In May 2021, GEM held its first talent development conference. At the conference, Chairman Xu Kaihua emphasized the importance of "investing in talents before investing in capacity" and released a new talent concept of "investing talents, making talents better, and creating a low-carbon future together".

Since the implementation of the Top Talents, Leading Talents and Innovative Figures development program in 2018, the company has produced 41 top talents, leading talents and innovative figures, and successfully brought in Professor Sun Xueliang, an academician from the Canadian academy and a foreign academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as the chief scientist of GEM. It also brought in Dr. Toshiyuki Toda from Japan, as well as Mr. Craig Boljkovac, a senior official of the United Nations as an international consultant, to open up international pathways for developing the international prospects of R&D personnel and creating superior future technological breakthroughs.

Prestigious awards for leading talents and innovative figures to promote the multiple benefits of goose life.

GEM not only provides R&D funds and R&D incentives, but also rewards leading talents and innovative figures with ten million yuan annually, and also released a housing subsidy system for senior talents, a reward system for innovative projects, and three "1,000" talent development program. In addition to scientific research funds, living expenses, housing, wages, and other "big money", the introduction of senior talents will be in accordance with local policies to provide special allowances for talents, spouse pensions, children's schools, and a series of policy treatments, to ensure that all kinds of talents in GEM enjoy excellent treatment, get full respect, and maximize their innovative potential.

"I am very grateful to the company for providing me with a comfortable and spacious place to live." A few days ago, Dr. Sun Zhaojian, who graduated from Tsinghua University, just moved into a four-room, two-bathroom apartment provided by the company and plans to bring his family to live with him in Jingmen in the near future.

Dr. Wang Yaning, a graduate of Tsinghua University, and Dr. Wang Jun, a graduate of Peking University, also joined the company at the same time as Dr. Sun Zhaojian. In 2022, after graduating from Tsinghua University and Peking University respectively, they entered GEM Postdoctoral Workstation to pursue postdoctoral studies. Currently, they are engaged in research on high-tech new energy materials at the GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Institute.

Since the establishment of GEM Postdoctoral Research Station in 2013, GEM has trained more than 50 postdoctoral students from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Wuhan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, South Central University, and other prestigious universities (including those within the research station), and nearly 90% of them after graduating from the research station, choose to stay on at GEM to continue their innovative work and some have become scientific research leaders or corporate management.

Encouraged by innovation, value-based, and in-depth participation in global industry chain cooperation, and become an indispensable core enterprise in the global new energy supply chain.

From investment in innovation to the multiplication of innovation to hyper-technological innovation, we have achieved industry-leading technologies and products.

Through recycling technology to provide "waste recycled products - alternative raw minerals - international standard products" from the road of waste recycled product brand reinvention, GEM has become the main supply chain of the world's leading companies such as Samsung, SK On, CATL, BYD, Kenna Metal, SANDVIK and so on.

Shipments of power battery ternary precursor materials ranks the top two in the global market (shipments of 8-series and 9-series ultra-high nickel ternary precursor materials ranked first in the global market), accounting for more than 15 percent of the world market, assembling 15% of the world's ternary batteries in new energy vehicles, and service for new energy vehicles in the world from "green to green";

Shipments of tricobalt tetraoxide for 3C digital batteries are among the top three in the global market, accounting for more than 20% of the world market;

Ultrafine cobalt powder ranks first in the world industrial market, occupying more than 50% of the world cemented carbide market, and more than 60% of global cemented carbide tools use the GEM's recycled ultrafine cobalt powder.

Provide innovative technologies to the world, making Chinese technology to be shared with the world.

In 2017, GEM sailed into Indonesia to develop nickel resources, and on September 26, 2022, the production line of QMB project was fully opened. The world-class high-tech industrial park of "Technology + Intelligence + Green" was built to produce new energy raw materials from laterite nickel ore. It has become the first successful case study in the field of high-pressure hydrometallurgy of laterite nickel ore in the world, designed and operated by enterprises independently, highlighting the great success of Chinese technology.

Indonesia is rich in resources, but lacks metallurgical engineering talents. Chairman Xu Kaihua said, "The quality of China's education in metallurgical and materials engineering technology is world-leading, and we should promote China's educational advantages in metallurgical and materials engineering technology to Indonesia."

Invest $50 million to build Indonesia's first world-class hydrometallurgical and new energy materials engineering and technology research center, equipped with world-class scientific equipment, to advance Indonesia's metallurgical engineering and new energy materials to a higher level in the world, and accelerate the process of engineering and technology localization in Indonesia.

In May 2023, H.E. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinator for Indonesia's Cooperation with China and Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, brought an African delegation to QMB for a tour of the project, telling the delegation, "Look, this is a world-class hydrometallurgical scientific and technological research center in Indonesia, where we Indonesia can also conduct high-tech research for mining resources."

On November 6, 2023, GEM, Central South University (CSU) and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) (known as Tsinghua University in Indonesia) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on "China-Indonesia Joint Research Laboratory for Metallurgical Engineering Technology and New Energy Materials". The Joint Laboratory, which will be funded by GEM with a total of USD 15 million, aims to create a world-class engineering joint laboratory. It aims to conduct innovative research in the fields of key mineral resource development, new energy materials, resource recycling, green technology, ESG, and sustainable development, and to provide key technological support for Indonesia's electrification strategy and the development of Indonesia's high-quality mining industry, as well as to contribute to the building of a global community of shared goals. It is the first joint laboratory established in Indonesia by a China university and a China company.

Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D, Chancellor of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), in her speech said that Indonesia is a country rich in mining resources, which is sufficient to support Indonesia's future development, but Indonesia is limited in terms of adequate technology and talents, thus limiting the development of mining resources. Today, GEM, as Indonesia's trusted partner, and China's leading university, Central South University, have come to Bandung Institute of Technology to build the China-Indonesia Joint Research Laboratory for New Energy Metallurgical and Material Engineering Technology, which will greatly promote the sustainable development of Bandung Institute of Technology and even the Indonesian economy. We believe that Bandung Institute of Technology and its students will benefit from today's tripartite efforts in the future. The continued support from GEM and other partners is an honor for Bandung Institute of Technology.

The Joint Laboratory fully meets the requirements of Indonesia's urgent need for engineering and technological innovation, which has evoked an overwhelming response in Indonesia.

Mr. Garibaldi Thohir, Chairman of the China Committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "The opening of this Joint Laboratory shows that China companies and China universities are very interested in helping us in Indonesia, and will greatly enhance our national technological innovation capabilities, which will be a great boost to the development of the mining industry and the Indonesian economy. We are very grateful to GEM."

Invest in human resources, create a "new model of Sino-Indonesian engineering and technology personnel training", and promote interaction between communities.

It can be more beneficial in the long run to teach a person how to do something than to do that something for them.

On March 4, 2019, Chairman Xu Kaihua paid a special visit to Minister Luhut of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, conveying the current state of talent shortage in resource development in Indonesia, and indicated that GEM is willing to cooperate with China's Central South University and provide financial support to cultivate master graduates in metallurgical engineering for Indonesia. This offer was very well received by Minister Luhut and he said that he would personally promote it.

Approved by the Indonesian government and the China Ministry of Education, the "Indonesian Government-GEM-CSU joint engineering master's international training class in material science and metallurgical technology" was launched in October 2019 with 33% funding from the Indonesian government and 67% from GEM. Three batches have run so far with a total of 80 master engineers (including university students) trained.

"It's been almost 100 years since my great-grandfather traveled across the ocean to Indonesia to make a living and today I am here in China to learn. It's been 5 generations, 100 years. I'm sure my great-grandfather would be very proud that I came to China to study today. This is a 100-year dream, and today I can realize it." Said Ellin Victoria, a student of 2nd joint engineering master's training class and 5th generation Chinese from Indonesia.

Currently, the fourth batch of the joint engineering master's training class has opened, and it has been expanded from "Metallurgy and Materials Science" to "Metallurgical Engineering, Transportation, International Trade of Non-ferrous Metals".

In December 2023, GEM, CSU and the Indonesian government jointly plan to upgrade the joint engineering master's training class to a "Hundreds,Thousands and Tens of Thousands" talent training program, aiming to cultivate 100 engineering doctorates, 1,000 engineering masters and 10,000 engineering and engineering talents for Indonesia in the next five years, and to comprehensively provide human resources support for Indonesia's national economic development.

In addition, the company has conducted internal selection and coaching of 500 young Indonesian talents and 1,000 Indonesian technicians.

Rizky Wanaldi, an Indonesian man born in 1995, and a student of the 1st joint engineering master's training class, who chose to live and work at QMB in Indonesia after graduation. Through training, the first 65 Indonesian managers and young cadres like Rizky have been successfully promoted to important positions, including Rizky going on to study for a doctorate at Central South University through a selection process. They have become a concrete embodiment of GEM's support for building innovative talents, investing sincere talents and real money investment talents, and outstanding talents.

Cheng Huiqiang, a researcher at the State Council Development Center, said that the exploration of GEM in Indonesia is a new type of enterprise-oriented high-tech, green and sustainable development, which creates a new model for China's enterprises and universities to develop engineering and technical talents on the Belt and Road, and contributes to enhancing the two countries' excellent understanding and acceptance of each other's cultures.

Looking towards the future, GEM will adhere to the innovation strategy of "urban mining + new energy material manufacturing", implement the innovation doubling plan, innovate new productivity quality, sail the ocean with China's innovative technology, contribute China's innovative strength to the development of the global new energy industry, and build the world's leading green industry group.

Top 100 List of Hubei High-tech Enterprises 2023

GEM's first batch of talent meeting was held in Jingmen, Hubei Province on May 30 to 31, 2021

GEM 2022 Awards for Top Talents, Leading Talents, and Innovative Figures - BMW X5, Voya FREE

On March 19, 2023, GEM held the 2023 Postdoctoral Release Report and the Opening of the 2023 Batch of Postdoctoral Theme Presentations, where a total of 12 postdoctoral candidates accounted for their degrees.

National Engineering Research Center of WEEE Recycling

H.E. Luhut, Minister of Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia, and Professor Xu Kaihua, Board Chairman of GEM, officially inaugurated Indonesia's first world-class hydrometallurgy and new energy materials engineering research and technology development center on September 26, 2022.

On February 25, 2023, 30 students of the 2rd Indonesian Government-GEM-CSU joint engineering master's international training class in material science and metallurgical technology was officially launched.

Professor Xu Kaihua, Board Chairman of GEM, and Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D, Dean of Bandung Institute of Technology signed the MOU on Cooperation between GEM-Bandung Institute of Technology-Central South University to jointly build the "China-Indonesia Joint Research Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Technology"

On September 4, 2023, QMB launched a plan to select and provide incentives to 500 Indonesian young talents and 1,000 Indonesian skilled workers