On the afternoon of January 18, 2026, the signing and unveiling ceremony for the “Joint Fire-Resistant Coatings Testing Laboratory”—co-established by the Southeast University Liyang Innovation Center for Infrastructure Safety and Smart Technologies (hereinafter the “Innovation Center”) and Jiangsu Champion Technology Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter the “Champion Group”)—was grandly held at the Innovation Center. Attendees included Xie Hai, Chairman of Champion Group; Ren Xianping, Executive Deputy General Manager of Champion Group; Zhang Wenming, Vice Dean of the School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University; and Shu Ganping, Executive Vice President of the Jiangsu Association of Building Steel Structures and Concrete, as well as other leaders and experts.
Photo: Group photo of participants
In his remarks, Vice Dean Zhang Wenming noted that the joint laboratory represents a deep integration of cutting-edge research from a first-class discipline and the industrial strength of a leading enterprise. The laboratory will combine the research expertise and advanced experimental facilities of the School of Civil Engineering and the Innovation Center in the field of structural fire resistance, together with Champion Group’s extensive industrial experience in fire-resistant coatings. It will focus on key directions including performance enhancement, long-term durability, and green and intelligent development of fire-resistant coatings, aiming to become a “vanguard team” for tackling critical technologies and a new platform for cultivating interdisciplinary talent.
Photo: Remarks by Zhang Wenming, Vice Dean of the School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University
Chairman Xie Hai stated that, as a national high-tech enterprise and a “Little Giant” specialized and innovative company, Champion Group has long been committed to the industrial coatings sector. He described the partnership with the Innovation Center as a key step to deepen industry–university–research integration, and expressed hope that the joint laboratory would enable resource sharing and complementary strengths, accelerate the translation of research outcomes into practical applications, and drive the high-quality development of the fire-resistant coatings industry.
Photo: Speech by Xie Hai, Chairman of Champion Group
Witnessed by all guests, Ren Xianping, Executive Deputy General Manager of Champion Group, and Du Erfeng, Deputy Director of the Innovation Center, signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of both parties. Chairman Xie Hai and Vice Dean Zhang Wenming then jointly unveiled the plaque for the laboratory.
Photo: Signing and unveiling ceremony
Professor Shu Ganping, Executive Vice President of the Jiangsu Association of Building Steel Structures and Concrete and a professor at Southeast University's School of Civil Engineering, highly commended the collaboration. He noted that the joint laboratory will effectively connect the full chain of research, development, application, and implementation, providing critical technical support for fire safety in infrastructure and exerting a far-reaching impact on the industry’s green and smart transformation. The ceremony concluded with a group photo, bringing the event to a successful close in a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere.
Photo: Concluding remarks by Professor Shu Ganping
This collaboration not only marks a new stage of complementary advantages and coordinated development between the university and the enterprise, but also offers a vivid example of bridging the “last mile” in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Looking ahead, the two parties will take the joint laboratory as a key platform to further deepen cooperation in technology R&D, technology transfer, and talent cultivation, promoting more research from the “laboratory” to the “production line” and contributing solid support to building disaster prevention and mitigation efforts in Liyang and beyond.
