Innovation Empowers a Better Life

The growth of global population and the improvement of living standards have created new challenges and demands on human nutrition, health, and sustainable development. As a leading fine chemical enterprise, NHU always insists on innovation-driven development, providing high-quality and low-carbon-footprint nutrition, aroma chemicals, and new materials for human life. Innovation is rooted in our DNA. We provide sustainable solutions for the nutrition, health and quality life of all human beings through the R&D of new products and the application of new technologies. We strive to realize the mission of exploring chemicals, improving life.

Research System

Research Activities

Based on the core technology platform of “chemical +” and “biology +”, and driven by the market demand, we carry out targeted research, gain insights into the market trend, develop forward-looking R&D pipeline, and pursue innovation at multiple levels of science, “science + technology” and “technology + application”. Meanwhile, based on bulk raw materials, we build an integrated industrial chain, a structured product network, and a coordinative industrial ecology to constantly expand the family of fine chemical products. Leveraging our cost-effective products and service solutions, we create lasting value for our clients.

Research Focus

Innovation Built Around Real Needs

Resources and Circulation

The Recycle System of Natural Ecosystem-- Traditional production is a linear one-way process of “resource-product-emission” that is essentially an extensive and disposable utilization of resources. The “resource-product-renewable resources” loop based on natural ecosystem is the key method to solve the contradiction between limited resources and growing demand caused by the booming global population. At NHU, we take reduction, resource utilization and hazard-free of natural resources as the guiding principles. We convert basic chemicals to high value-added functional chemicals through integrated, serialized, and large-scale product mix and R&D. We upgrade the atom economy of chemical reaction by optimizing the technological process. The by-products can be used in the production of other chemicals or sold as a part of the value chain, so as to save resources and make full use of the waste. This is how we maximize the yield of valuable products with the minimal resource input.

Nutrition and Health

Secure Nutrition and Health of People--Nutrition is decisive to human health and development. According to WHO research, nearly 149 million children are too short for their age and 45 million children are too thin. However, 1.9 billion adults are overweight. We take human nutrition and health as the starting point and endeavor to address two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: zero hunger, good health and well-being. Through technological innovation, we have successively completed the R&D of a series of products in a wide range, including vitamins, coenzyme Q10, lycopene and beta carotene. Our products are used to mitigate nutritional deficiency of children, enhance adult immunity, slow down aging, and prolong human life. Animal-source foods, including meat, eggs, aquatic products, and dairy products, are important sources of protein, fat and vitamins for humans. NHU offers scientific solutions for human health and animal farming. Our products, such as vitamins, methionine, astaxanthin and cantharidin, are added into the premix and feed, which can significantly improve animal immunity and meat quality, thereby providing high grade animal protein for human life.

Climate and Energy

A Sustainable Future--The use of oil, coal and natural gas has greatly promoted the development of modern industry, but also brought environmental issues. Now, we are working to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels through the transition from non-renewable energy to renewable energy and from petrochemical-based chemicals to bio-based green products. To achieve the goal of “carbon emission peak and carbon neutral”, NHU is committed to providing scientific and green solutions. By developing innovative process, we constantly reduce the carbon footprint, energy consumption and COD emission from our products. To reduce the dependence on non-renewable chemical sources, we use sustainable raw materials for the production of green and healthy nutritional products via our “Bio+ and Chem+” technology platform.

Research System

Innovation Environment and Capability

Based on the basic and prospective research on chemistry, NHU continuously increases the investment in innovation, upgrade the hardware and software for R&D, promote academic research with the traction of the industry, and actively build professional platforms of generic technologies, such as chemical analysis, separation, and catalysis. We continue to ramp up the transformation toward an innovation-led organization that focuses on basic research of technologies with talents as its core. Such capabilities are helping us to lay a foundation for strong industrial development.

Research System

Technology Exchanges and Cooperation

Our R&D concept is “demand-oriented development with synergy across functions and coordination with partners”. We work with innovative pioneers and integrate research resources around the world. We have successively cooperated with top domestic and international universities and research institutes, including Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Danish biotechnology companies. We jointly carry out prospective and applied research in chemistry and study major scientific and technological issues of common interest around the world and critical fundamental issues in industrial development. These efforts have allowed us to promote industrial transformation and to upgrade with technological innovation.We extend industrial chain and optimize value chain via the cooperation with our partners. By benchmarking against leading players in the industry, we learn from each other to solve problems and hit growth targets.We are looking forward to exchanging and cooperating with more universities, research institutions and enterprises from home and abroad.

Research System

Innovation Achievements

Driven by openness and win-win cooperation, NHU continues to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies. The company has undertaken more than 70 national, provincial and ministerial projects; received two Second Prizes of the National Technological Invention Award, four First Prizes of the Zhejiang Provincial Technological Invention Award, one Grand Prize for Technological Invention and one First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation; secured 844 granted patents, including 144 overseas patents; received two China Patent Gold Awards; and led or participated in the development of 56 national standards, 10 industry standards and 40 group standards. NHU and IUPAC jointly established the IUPAC–Zhejiang NHU International Award for Advancements in Green Chemistry. NHU also established scholarships at Beijing University of Chemical Technology in 2009 and Zhejiang University in 2015 to encourage students who pursue excellence, innovation and scientific research.

70+National, provincial and ministerial projects

2Second Prizes of the National Technological Invention Award

4First Prizes of the Zhejiang Provincial Technological Invention Award

844Granted patents

144Overseas patents included in the total

2China Patent Gold Awards

56 / 10 / 40National / industry / group standards

Explore Further

From Platforms to Outcomes

Additional Technology Awards

One Grand Prize for Technological Invention and one First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation.

Green Chemistry Partnership Award

NHU and IUPAC established an international award recognizing major contributions to green chemistry and outstanding young researchers.

Research Talent Development

NHU scholarships have supported students at Beijing University of Chemical Technology since 2009 and Zhejiang University since 2015.