Sanmenxia eyes production and research base for water treatment chemical

A water treatment chemical project in Yima city of Sanmenxia operated by Henan Yiqun Environmental Technology Company is helping the city become a production and research base for a high-end water treatment chemical.

The chemical, polyacrylamide, is vital for environmental protection, particularly in the treatment of waste water and sludge in industries such as metallurgy, oil production and paper making. Due to a lack of core technology, China didn't develop polyacrylamide production for high-end industry, and had to import it from France and Germany.

After three years of trial and error, a research group from the Chinese Academy of Engineering made significant breakthroughs in the project, breaking the overseas technical monopoly and enhancing local independent innovation ability. Creating no pollution during its production process, the self-designed chemical meets international standards and can take the place of imports. The hard-won advances have attracted some foreign companies for further research.

To introduce the hi-tech project into Yima, the government spared no support, helping with land acquisition, certificate granting and project registration.

The project has been completed and is currently operational. Market demand for the chemical exceeds supply. Estimated potential annual production value is estimated at 1,500 million yuan ($219 million), with a profit of 500 million yuan. That kind of outcome means 150 jobs for local people.

Yima's talent office and the city’s science and technology association will help the project gain a high-tech designation, an important step in Yima’s becoming a national key production and research base for the water treatment chemical.