On May 25, at the construction site of the Mingjian Metal Materials Research and Pilot Testing Base project on Binhe North Road in Lishan Economic Development Zone, Anshan City, excavators operated with precision, pile drivers emitted steady, rhythmic thuds, and workers diligently fastened steel reinforcements, all racing against the clock to advance the project.

"Construction began in early April, and the factory buildings and office complex are scheduled for completion by October, with operations set to commence next year," stated Zhang Jian, Chairman of Mingjian (Liaoning) High-Tech Industrial Co., Ltd. "With a total investment of 300 million yuan, this will become the largest privately-owned metal materials pilot testing base in the country."

Zhang Jian's entrepreneurial drive stemmed from a keen awareness of industry challenges. As a doctoral graduate from the State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation at Northeastern University, he observed during his research that many high-quality metal material innovations from laboratories struggled to bridge the gap to production lines. These outcomes often remained shelved due to a lack of specialized pilot testing platforms or failed repeatedly during conversion because of immature pilot processes. The aspiration to "translate research achievements into practical applications and enable technology to genuinely serve industry" took root in Zhang Jian's mind, becoming the initial impetus for his plan to establish the pilot testing base.

After earning his doctorate in 2017, Zhang Jian returned to his hometown, Anshan, and began working at Ansteel. At that time, he balanced his stable professional role with his unwavering dream of creating the pilot testing base, attempting to manage both commitments simultaneously.

However, over time, Zhang Jian came to a profound realization: to excel, specialize, and scale the pilot testing endeavor, undivided focus was essential. After careful consideration and thorough deliberation, in 2022, he made the decisive choice to resign from his position at Ansteel, dedicating himself fully to developing the technical materials pilot testing base business and embarking on a journey of full-time entrepreneurship.

With his full commitment to entrepreneurship, Zhang Jian's progress became more resolute. In 2023, he spearheaded the expansion of leased facilities to increase the base's scale and invited seven fellow doctoral graduates—all holding PhDs—to co-found Mingjian High-Tech, assembling a distinguished research team. This team comprises seven doctorates and five master's degree holders, all with deep expertise in core metal materials fields such as smelting, welding, rolling, and forging, and each possessing research experience from national-level key laboratories. The team members, with the eldest born in 1983 and the youngest in 1992, bring both vitality and professional prowess. The formation of this team has infused strong momentum into the development of the pilot testing base, establishing it as the company's most vital competitive asset.

Leveraging the professional team and comprehensive full-process services, Zhang Jian's pilot testing base has steadily progressed toward scaled development. In 2024, he laid a solid foundation for the construction of the company-owned base, and from 2025 onward, efforts have been concentrated on advancing the new base's development. "This site will feature a 33,000-square-meter research complex, including research and office buildings, production facilities, a nationally certified CMA/CNAS analysis and testing center, and a production-style pilot testing workshop," Zhang Jian explained. The base will be equipped with 30 sets of high-end testing and analysis instruments, such as SEM and Gleeble3800 systems. The centerpiece, a spherical aberration transmission electron microscope—a top-tier global material analysis device capable of observing material structures at the proton level—is valued at over 30 million yuan per unit.

Anshan boasts a robust foundation in the steel industry, and the Mingjian Metal Materials Research and Pilot Testing Base serves as a critical link between the laboratory and the production line. Acting as a bridge between technology and industry, it can facilitate the transformation of research achievements from universities nationwide while providing high-value-added research services to the local industrial chain. This initiative is poised to attract more high-quality projects, talent, and technologies to the region, supporting Anshan's industrial chain in advancing toward higher-end development.

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