Thirty-six years of weathering storms and hardships, with the torch passed down from one generation to the next.

Thirty-six years of dedicated cultivation, pursuing the pinnacle of excellence.

From 1990 to 2026, Jingye Group has grown from a small chemical plant into a global multinational conglomerate with operations spanning the world. Today, the company is firmly aligned with the prevailing trends of our times, relentlessly pursuing transformation toward manufacturing services, high-end production, intelligent manufacturing, and internationalization—leveraging smart technologies to empower high-end manufacturing and inject new momentum into its development.

Over the past 36 years, the dedicated professionals of Jingye have braved mountains and seas, writing a profoundly moving epic of relentless striving with their passion and hard work. Through 36 years of weathering every challenge, each milestone has been forged through their unwavering dedication and ingenuity; every achievement embodies the core values of “dedication to one’s work and to others, loyalty and selfless devotion, innovation for value creation, and intelligent manufacturing at the high end.”

On March 25, 2026, Jingye Group will celebrate the 36th anniversary of its founding. Standing at this momentous milestone, we look back on our remarkable journey, pay tribute to every dedicated contributor, carry forward the Jingye spirit, unite our collective drive, and embark together on the next, even more glorious chapter.

Salicylic Acid Goes into Production: Starting from Scratch and Rising Again

In 1988, Chairman Li Ganspo ventured into business for the second time, establishing the precursor to Jingye Group—the Chemical Plant of Pingshan County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. With no capital, no premises, and no qualified personnel, he started from scratch with nothing but sheer determination. Employees had no housing, the plant lacked a canteen, and even the warehouse they had rented at the Nandian Supply and Marketing Cotton-Oil Factory was eventually vacated due to an inability to pay the rent.

To resolve the electricity supply problem, Jiao Guolin and Ren San exhausted every possible solution and ultimately succeeded only through close cooperation with the local power management bureau. Wang Mingguo cycled back and forth to the county seat three times in a single day just to obtain his business license as soon as possible. To save ten yuan in shipping fees, Ren San braved the arduous journey of more than two li on foot, carrying a carbon dioxide gas cylinder weighing over 200 jin on his back. Liu Genggeng and Nie Shuan, in order to cut equipment costs, even built their own salicylic acid crushing machine. Ren Guoshan worked tirelessly to develop new markets, enduring cold indifference and scorn along the way—yet in the end, it was his sincerity that won over customers and opened up sales channels for his products…

On March 25, 1990, the first salicylic acid production line with an annual capacity of 400 tonnes was officially commissioned. Subsequently, the company steadily expanded its operations, and by 2012 its salicylic acid capacity had reached 25,000 tonnes, making it the world’s largest producer of salicylic acid.

Early Chemical Plants

The Rise of Ironmaking Blast Furnaces: A Grand Vision for Cross-Industry Development

The construction of the ironmaking project marks a pivotal step in Jingye Group’s diversification into new industries.

“The first step is always the hardest.” When constructing the very first blast furnace, funds were severely limited; nevertheless, the builders wholeheartedly embodied the spirit of hard work and selfless dedication, implementing a wide range of measures to ensure the smooth progress of the project. At the time, there was no money to purchase the steel plates needed for the furnace shell, so Ren Sanhe, who was in charge of procurement, worked with the supply team to arrange credit purchases.

In securing raw materials and equipment, Ren San adhered to the principle of achieving maximum results with minimal expenditure. He led his sales team on frequent trips to Shenyang, Henan, Shandong, and Xi’an, conducting repeated inspections and comparisons of key materials and critical equipment such as electric motors, refractory materials, furnace-top devices, and blowers—always opting for suppliers that offered credit terms and the most cost-effective options. Because he often ate and slept in his vehicle, his highly irregular lifestyle eventually led to stomach problems. Yet during the crucial phase of constructing the blast furnace, even when his illness was severe, he would still remain in the office, receiving intravenous drips while coordinating business matters and arranging work.

In June 1994, civil construction commenced. To contain costs, all civil work was carried out by the plant’s own employees, with Zhang Qinghai serving as the project manager. Soon after construction began, the weather grew increasingly hot, and workers often toiled under the blazing sun, laying foundations and excavating pipeline trenches—so much so that many ended up with several layers of skin peeled off their backs. The ground was mostly rocky, making excavation extremely arduous; yet driven by the vision they held in their hearts, they refused to let any difficulty weigh them down. Emulating the spirit of Yu Gong moving the mountains, they worked in an organized, coordinated manner: some dug, some hauled materials, some laid pipes, some erected structures, some performed welding, and some mixed concrete—each task executed with precision and efficiency. During the day, Zhang Qinghai would go on-site to direct operations and inspect quality; at night, he would stay late into the hours, poring over technical documents and design drawings, drafting construction plans, and often working straight through the entire night.

Working in unison and overcoming numerous challenges, the builders successfully commissioned the first 150 m³ blast furnace on June 9, 1995, when Chairman Li Ganspo lit the very first tuyere.

The First Blast Furnace

Seizing Opportunities in Crisis: Output Doubles

The 1998 Southeast Asian financial crisis plunged many large enterprises into bankruptcy or production shutdowns. Faced with this sudden crisis, Chairman Li put forward three inspiring slogans: “Work hard in 1998—double output; work hard in 1998—make one year equal to the previous ten; crises bring opportunities—today’s economic crisis is a golden opportunity for our development.”

Jingye Group is undertaking the centralized development of ten projects, with a funding shortfall of RMB 14 million. On May 13, 1998, the Group convened a mobilization meeting titled “Seize the Opportunity and Go All Out in 1998 to Double Our Revenue.” During the financial crisis, banks tightened lending, prompting Zhou Ximing, who was responsible for financing, to lead Zhao Jianzhong and others in exhausting every possible avenue to secure loans.

Against this backdrop, Chairman Li introduced a “two-no” business model—zero inventory and zero outstanding receivables—under which the company insists on shipping only upon receipt of payment, even if it means offering prices slightly lower than those of competitors, in order to accelerate cash recovery.

When it came to equipment procurement, Lu Zengyuan and Jiao Baogui scrutinized every penny, stretching each one as far as possible. The broad workforce deeply understood the group’s predicament and went for months without receiving their salaries. Deputy General Manager Zhang Yonghai underwent surgery for severe heart disease; after being discharged, he rested at home for only three days before, despite still recovering from a serious illness, throwing himself into the fight against the financial crisis.

To align the thinking of all employees and stabilize their morale, he convened several meetings with team leaders and above to discuss and formulate solutions to the challenges at hand, thereby boosting everyone’s spirit. Soon, the slogan “Put the greater good before personal interests; overcome difficulties and weather the storm” resonated throughout Jingye, lifting workers’ spirits and igniting their fighting spirit. Together, they forged an unbreakable steel bond, united in purpose and working in concert to declare war on the crisis. By the end of 1998, with the completion of the ten major projects, Jingye had achieved its goal of doubling annual output value.

Seize the Right Moment: Steelmaking Project Launched Against the Trend

In 2001, the Group decided to embark on a steelmaking project, despite numerous challenges at the time, including severe funding constraints, unfamiliar process technologies, and a shortage of skilled personnel.

The group recruited 260 high school graduates to study at Chengsteel; however, the biggest challenge was a severe funding shortage, with a gap of more than RMB 20 million that could not be bridged. In response, the group launched an ambitious campaign titled “If the Group Is Going to Start Steelmaking, What Are We Going to Do?” Employees across the board stepped up, selling pigs and grain, and some even contributed their children’s tuition fees. Through these collective efforts, the group finally raised the necessary RMB 20 million, enabling the steelmaking project to commence operations smoothly in November 2002 and achieve sales revenue of RMB 600 million that same year. From the launch of the steelmaking project onward, Jingye Group entered a fast track of development.

Temporary Steelmaking Command Center

In the second half of 2008, the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis triggered global financial turmoil. In response, the Group swiftly implemented counter-crisis measures, pioneered direct sales, established more than 40 direct-sales offices nationwide, and invested RMB 520 million in a 2-million-ton steel-rolling bar and wire rod project, thereby boosting its steel production capacity to over 4 million tons in one fell swoop.

In the course of responding to the crisis, the company’s development strategy gradually evolved. The Group subsequently set a development goal of “going global, shifting from the manufacture of standard products to precision manufacturing, and transitioning from a purely manufacturing-oriented model to one that integrates manufacturing with trade.” Through continuous efforts to tap untapped potential and carry out technological upgrades, by 2011 the Group’s output of iron, steel, and steel products had reached the ten-million-ton level, marking a significant milestone in its development.

Transformation and Upgrading: A Thrilling Second Entrepreneurial Venture

In 2014, steel prices plummeted, leaving many steelmakers struggling to stay afloat on the brink of bankruptcy. Like other steel firms, Jingye faced immense pressure to cut overcapacity and comply with stringent environmental regulations.

To achieve sustainable development, JINGYE must undergo transformation and upgrading. In April 2014, Chairman Li stated: “We must ground ourselves in the core steel business, pursue transformation and upgrading, and embark on a second entrepreneurial journey with steady, step-by-step progress.” In September 2014, the Group merged with and partnered with Ulanhot Iron & Steel Company.

Since January 2015, the entire organization has vigorously embarked on a second entrepreneurial journey, extending the steel industry chain, scaling up advanced steel processing, and developing a park dedicated to steel structures, special-purpose vehicles, pipe manufacturing, and rebar-processing equipment, with an annual output value of RMB 10 billion. Targeting the forefront of global science and technology, the company has launched two high-tech projects—additive manufacturing and short-process thin-strip continuous casting and rolling—thereby leading industry development.

In response to the national call for developing a green circular economy, the company established a metal recycling and processing system in 2020, dedicated to the procurement, processing, and sale of scrap steel. The system comprises five major business segments: base operations, project demolition, direct procurement, domestic trade, and international trade. To support the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, the group has aligned itself with the overarching trend of healthy development by developing wellness and health-care projects such as the Jingye Tourism Zone and Zanglong Town, thereby creating a large-scale health-and-wellness tourism hub in North China.

Global Expansion: Strengthening the Steel Industry and Uprighting Its Backbone

On September 11, 2020, the company merged with and partnered with Guangdong Taidu Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., subsequently changing its name to Guangdong Jingye Iron & Steel Industrial Co., Ltd.; on October 25, 2022, it merged with and partnered with Guangdong Yuebei United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. On June 20 and September 29, 2024, it respectively entered into merger and partnership agreements with Lianyungang Xingxin Iron & Steel and Rizhao Yingkou Medium Plate.

To date, Jingye Group operates steelmaking facilities at its headquarters, as well as in Yingkou, Wuchang, Guangzhou, northern Guangdong, Huaxi Special Steel, and Xingxin Iron & Steel, with a scientifically sound and rational regional layout that has propelled the group onto a fast-track of development.

The Group has also made vigorous efforts to expand its international trade, engaging in iron ore, logistics, and financial services, and positioning itself as a global supplier of steel and metal products as well as a trader in minor minerals and various energy resources. It has established subsidiaries and representative offices in 32 countries worldwide, with its products exported to more than 130 countries and regions.

Smart Manufacturing Empowers High-End Development; Service Transformation Ushers in a New Journey

In 2023, the second-phase acid-rolling unit and the batch annealing line of Jingye Group’s 2.6-million-ton 1,450 mm cold-rolling project were commissioned. The cold-rolling facility has successfully produced a wide range of specialty steels, including non-oriented silicon steel, dual-phase cold-rolled steel, deep-drawing steel for home appliances, and high-strength, interstitial-free automotive steel.

Galvanized products

In 2023, Hebei Jingye New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. was established, and the company independently developed a CCS integrated busbar featuring “high energy, high safety, high performance, and scalability.” In 2024, the Group headquarters and the Huaxi Base’s 3,800-mm special steel wide-and-thick plate production line were successively put into operation.

To date, the Group operates six medium- and thick-plate production lines with an annual capacity exceeding 12 million tonnes, establishing itself as a global leader in the medium- and thick-plate steel sector. In August 2025, Jingye Group’s high-quality shipbuilding plates and marine-engineering steels were recognized as ten flagship products in Hebei Province’s steel industry, owing to their superior quality and performance. During 2025, the Group accelerated R&D on high-end steel grades, launching EH36 steel for large container ships, 85 mm × 4,080 mm ultra-thick, extra-wide EH40 high-strength shipbuilding plate, 9Ni steel, and other premium shipbuilding and marine-engineering steels that cover 95% of the steel specifications used in the shipbuilding industry and have obtained certification from classification societies in ten countries. These products have been deployed in major domestic and international projects, including the Yamal LNG project, the Padma Bridge in Bangladesh, and the Huadian Shandong Peninsula Deepwater Offshore Wind Power Project, with sales ranking among the highest globally.

Wide and Thick Plate Production Line

In 2025, the Group embarked on a new journey of transformation from manufacturing to manufacturing services, committed to supporting the entire product lifecycle and delivering exceptional value-added services to customers. To this end, the Group launched the “Service Star” recognition program, which honored a total of 3,226 Service Stars. In addition, the Group initiated 300 transformation projects spanning the entire production and operations process, including EVI (Early Vendor Involvement) services and the construction of pre-treatment lines for shipbuilding steel plates, thereby extending the service chain and precisely meeting the pre-treatment needs of high-end equipment manufacturing sectors such as marine and offshore engineering, wind power, and petrochemicals.

5G+ Unmanned Overhead Crane

In 2025, the Group accelerated the advancement of its intelligent manufacturing capabilities and established the steel industry’s first end-to-end intelligent decision-making hub. At critical process stages, it achieved horizontal integration and vertical penetration across 22 digital systems, replaced manual labor with automated 3D robotic solutions in more than 70 job roles, and built an intelligent production management and control system that covers the entire production and operations lifecycle. Leveraging its leading position in intelligent manufacturing, in June, Jingye Iron & Steel and Hebei Jingye High-Quality Steel Technology were successfully included in the first batch of advanced smart factories in Hebei Province for 2025; in September, Jingye Iron & Steel was recognized as a national-level, 2025 Outstanding Smart Factory.

Thirty-six years—a grand epic of relentless struggle and an enduring monument to unparalleled glory.

Having weathered countless challenges over the years, Jingye Group now stands at the dawn of its 36th anniversary—a new starting point on a path that is far from smooth, as competition in the steel industry remains fiercely intense. As 2026 marks the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Jingye Group will, amid this era of profound challenges, remain steadfast in its commitment to producing high-quality specialty steels and pursuing a high-end development strategy, thereby forging new glories in this new journey.