Industry waves wash away sand, an exclusive product'Additives'We are solving the problem of sodium electricity industrialization. Na Yuan New Materials is a national high-tech enterprise founded by a team of German returnee PhDs, specializing in sodium ion battery cathode materials and full battery solutions. In this issue, the city has "new" attraction - the Taihu Lake Bay Science and Technology Innovation City's "specialized, special and new" enterprise album column. Let's see how Nayuan New Material Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. has risen quietly in the field of new energy with its unique technological path and solid industrial layout.

01. Dare to go up the mountain: a strategy of going against the trend

I went abroad at the end of 2011. At that time, I always said that Western countries had better technology, so I thought that after I went out to study and finished my studies, I could do something for my own country. Dr. Liu Zhongqing's learning journey was quite efficient - he completed his master's and doctoral studies in a total of four and a half years. This pursuit of efficiency was deeply imprinted in his later establishment of Na Yuan New Materials. In 2024, lithium prices plummeted from 600000 yuan per ton to 70000 yuan per ton.

Under the impact of the sharp drop in lithium prices, the cost-effectiveness advantage of sodium ion batteries is facing severe challenges. However, Na Yuan New Materials not only adheres to the sodium circuit line, but also chooses the more technically difficult sodium iron sulfate system, which is considered by many to be a "too difficult" path.

In the development of this series of materials for sodium iron sulfate, we have solved a problem of bulging, bloating, and poor high-temperature cycling in the industry. "The words are plain, but behind it is a breakthrough in the core pain points of sodium ion batteries. The sodium iron sulfate series materials developed by Dr. Liu's team not only solve fundamental problems, but also clear the obstacles for the commercial application of sodium ion batteries.

It is worth noting that their persistence has been recognized by the industry - they won the double award at the 2nd China Sodium Ion Battery Conference. This may indicate that in the fluctuations of the industrial cycle, true technological innovation always has its value.

02. The waves wash away the sand: Technology wins the market

After the trials and tribulations, sodium ion battery companies that truly have technology, products, and customers have been selected. Liu Zhongqing's viewpoint reveals a truth about the industry that is happening, and the sodium battery industry has entered a new stage of "strength verification" from a "hot trend". Any emerging technology industry may have to go through a process of gradual maturity - from initial hype, to facing practical challenges, and finally to true survival of the fittest.

Dr. Liu pointed out that the inherent advantages of sodium batteries in terms of overcharging performance, low-temperature performance, safety, etc. make them irreplaceable in specific application scenarios.

In the future, with the maturity of new technologies such as no negative electrode and semi-solid state, the energy density bottleneck of sodium batteries is expected to be further overcome. And a core additive that only Sodium Yuan New Materials can mass produce on a large scale not only solves the problems of the material itself, but also builds a unique business model. My additives can be mixed with my own materials or with sodium iron sulfate produced by other manufacturers. Behind this sentence is a rare industry mindset - to maintain competitiveness while growing together with the industry.

03. Step by Step: Forward looking Strategic Layout

Dr. Liu described the competition in the battery field as requiring a forward-looking layout.

The layout of Na Yuan New Materials is reflected in three dimensions:Material research and development, battery cell manufacturing, and terminal applications.Their breakthroughs in the light power market in Southeast Asia, as well as their layout in low-temperature regions such as Northeast China and Inner Mongolia, demonstrate a precise grasp of market demand. The commissioning of the 5000 ton production line and the planning of the 10000 ton production line reflect the development concept of "looking up at the stars while being down-to-earth".

The things we have done in the past one or two years must have a dynamic combination with the next three to five years. "This sentence expresses the unique foresight of technology entrepreneurs - in the rapidly changing technology field, static planning is no longer sufficient to meet challenges, what is needed is the forward-looking ability of dynamic adjustment.

04. Peak to the extreme: Pursuing the ultimate professionalism

80% of our company's personnel are engineers. This number shows us the technical background of Na Yuan New Materials. But at the same time, Dr. Liu is also aware that the development of enterprises requires a diversified talent structure.

His expectation for talent is to be diligent and responsible to the extreme, while also having the ideas and determination to learn new things. This may be the talent trait that technology-based enterprises need most in their growth process, which is both focused and open-minded, professional and growth oriented.

The communication with Dr. Liu Zhongqing gives people a unique combination of German rigor and Chinese ambition. His story is not only a scientist's entrepreneurial journey, but also a reflection of industrial thinking: not chasing hot topics, but deeply cultivating pain points; Not blindly expanding, but dynamically laying out; Not closed and self reliant, but open and cooperative.

The industrialization of sodium ion batteries still faces challenges, but companies like Na Yuan New Materials, which possess both technological strength and industrial soft thinking, are climbing new heights in the sodium battery industry with their "steady and far-reaching" attitude. In the tide of the new energy industry, we need more practitioners who are solid and visionary.

Gathering in the Taihu Lake Bay, Zhihui Science and Technology Innovation City

Source: Economic Development Office Editor: Tang Chuanzhao, Guan Zhongyuan

Reviewed by: Yang Bo Released by: Liu Xiaomei