Why we started has been written in the sun, and our achievements over the past 105 years are magnificent and stunning.

2024 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the past 75 years, China has started from scratch to become a well-off society. At present, it has embarked on a new journey of enhancing national strength in all respects and achieving national rejuvenation through modernization with Chinese characteristics.

2024 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Shougang Group, which started from scratch to become a factory full of blast furnaces, then a seaside dream factory. At present, it has become a "new landmark for urban revitalization" that attracts global attention. Its business development across several regions has set a good example for high-quality modernized growth with Chinese characteristics.

The Shougang Group has always kept in mind its mission throughout 105 years of arduous development. A look at its history reveals an epic of unstoppable development through strenuous efforts. Throughout Shougang's 100-year history, generations of employees have always borne in mind why they started, inherited the Party's initiative, linked corporate development with the destiny of the country, resorted to industrial development for national resuscitation and rejuvenation, achieved prosperity through reform, relocated for structural adjustment, and transformed development models. Shougang employees follow the spirit of "daring to undertake responsibilities, create innovations, and take pioneering steps" as an ode to the times. 

A look back reveals the profoundness endowed by history upon these 105 years. The history of the Shougang Group is a legendary part of the history of China's industrial development, and it is still creating miracle after miracle.

We were a part of the process of national resuscitation and rejuvenation through industrial development;

We took the lead in exploring the reform of state-owned companies and became a role model for the reform of Chinese industrial companies;

We moved our factory from mountainside to seaside, a marvelous feat in the development history of China's and even the world’s steel industry;

We provided the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, China International Fair for Trade in Services, and China Science Fiction Convention with first-rate services, and became a model of urban renewal with our transformation from a steel-making zone to a winter sports venue and then to a landmark of urban renewal which is “moving towards a shared future";

We are the Shougang Group, a century-old state-owned enterprise that dares to blaze new trails.

Daring to Act with Responsibility — Development through Reform

Founded in 1919, the Shougang Group has been forging ahead for more than 100 years and has remained committed to reform and development.

In 2024, at the crucial juncture of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Shougang Group, our employees have been moving forward bravely and passing on the strong impulse to let reform bring infinite vitality to the company. In the SOE reform intensification campaign (2023–2025), the Shougang Group was once again selected as one of the Top 100 companies with strong economies of scale and Top 100 companies with high growth potential. In the item-by-item evaluation released by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) in June 2024, the Shougang Group was given the rating of "excellent". Of the two demonstration subsidiaries for technological reform, the Beijing Beiye Functional Materials Corporation was evaluated as a model company and Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd. was given the rating of "excellent".

Reform, as the word implies, indicates change and innovation. As a century-old state-owned enterprise, the Shougang Group has been playing a vanguard role in reform and development with its strong sense of responsibility. Since the start of the "14th Five-year Plan" period, it has "tested the waters" through reform and become the pioneer of reform in the new era.

——We have catered to the requirements of the three-year action plan for SOE reform in Beijing, with our achievements selected by SASAC for inclusion in the collection of three-year reform cases. We have also achieved historical breakthroughs in reform and made significant progress in innovation and development. We were given the rating of "excellent" in the evaluation of three-year actions for SOE reform in Beijing.

——We have extensively explored the "five major advantages" of the steel industry, cultivated more strengths around the "four manufacturing segments, and continued to develop competitive advantages. Three of our strategic products make up the top three in China in terms of market share. With an all-time best performance in its 100-year history, the Shougang Group has made crucial contributions to stabilizing the overall situation and guaranteeing solid business foundations with brighter highlights.

——We have leveraged industry-finance integration to continuously improve the financial support system and explore paths to financial innovation. Through mutual promotion between finance and industries, there will be better asset quality, stronger operating performance, and a more solid industrial structure. The stimulating role of finance is fully leveraged in the industrial development of the Shougang Group, and a series of measures such as Shougang Jingpiao, the treasury system, the integrated fund pool of RMB and foreign currencies, and public REITs have been undertaken.

——We have focused on the basic reform of training, implemented the talent-based strategy to boost corporate development, improved the supporting policy system, and removed limits that hinder personal growth. We have consistently pushed for institutional reform and put the "One Institute, Multiple Centers" strategy into operation; organized the selection of 26 group-level scientists and 34 group-level craftsmen, and awarded May Fourth medals to ten employees; and continued to promote the development of the three "talent teams" and incite their vitality, with the proportion of highly skilled specialists in these teams surpassing 50%.

——We have launched the management improvement campaign in the past three years, streamlining the hierarchy of the company to no more than six levels ahead of schedule. We have also launched a special campaign to "reduce leverage, inventory and accounts receivable, and costs and losses, and improve performance," achieving record-high total assets while ensuring the ongoing decline of interest-bearing liabilities. Besides, we have streamlined our structure by getting 152 companies withdrawn, strengthened our status as a market entity, and won a rating of A+ among Chinese steel companies for five consecutive years.

Reform is a strong impulse of the Shougang Group's employees, as well as the key to solving Shougang's issues throughout its development. A look back over our century-long journey reveals that, in the process of deepening reform, the Shougang Group has always been a practitioner of and contributor to China's major strategies. Generations of employees have continuously explored while following and passing on the tradition of a bold impulse to make breakthroughs and accomplish reform. There has been a wide array of efforts, including producing molten iron for the first time in the liberated regions, taking the lead in implementing the contracted management responsibility system, acquiring a Peruvian iron ore, establishing Huaxia Bank, taking the lead in relocation and adjustment, and creating a new landmark for the revitalization of the capital in the new era... These reforms and breakthroughs in development will become an indelible part of the history of China's steel industry.

Let's take a look at the early days after the liberation of China. To mobilize employees to participate in production activities, the Shougang Group took the lead in proposing an eight-level wage system for reform, which was recognized by then Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong. Chairman Mao sent the hand-written reply, "I think your proposal is appropriate and I have already requested the competent authority to solve this problem quickly." In 1956, China carried out the first comprehensive reform of the wage system, and the reform plan was exactly the eight-level system proposed by the Shougang Group five years before.

In 1958, the Shougang Group proposed the all-round contract system, which was a sensation at that time. It remained committed to reform and innovation and contracted large projects to another party, which was recognized and supported by Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi, among other leaders of the Party and country. Its experience in contracting was promoted throughout the country, laying the groundwork for the implementation of the "contracted management responsibility system" in the future.

In the early days of reform and opening up, the Shougang Group took the lead in implementing the contracted management responsibility system and became a pioneer and pathfinder for corporate reform in the industrial sector. Rigorous management regulations, including the three-pronged contracting system of "contracting of tasks, guarantee of coordination, and inspection," three mandatory requirements for workers, and work ethics for officials, made it famous throughout the country. The Shougang Group's contracted management responsibility system was one of the first such system designs to break away from the planned economy, fully stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of employees, invigorate all parts of the company, and enable rapid corporate development. Such a reform became an indelible part of the history of China's reform and opening up, and set an example for reform in China's industrial sector. In 2021, A Brief History of the Communist Party of China, one of the four "designated books" for Party history learning, specifically mentions the Shougang Group on page 234: "In May 1979, eight large companies including the Shougang Corporation, Tianjin Bicycle Factory, and Shanghai Diesel Engine Factory started reform." This reflects that the Shougang Group's reform has been written down in the history of the Party.

There was a saying in the 1980s that Xiaogang Village in Anhui Province set an example for agricultural reform, and Shougang set an example for industrial reform. From a "general contract for infrastructure investment" to a "profit-based contract" and then to a "profit increase-based contract," every bold attempt of the Shougang Group as a state-owned enterprise was a reform in response to the national strategies. In 1994, the Shougang Group outperformed other steel companies by producing 8.24 million tons of steel. The management responsibility system also allowed it to transform from a "factory" in the planned economy to an "enterprise" in the market economy. In 1996, the establishment of the Shougang Group was officially approved by the Beijing Municipal People's Government and Ministry of the Metallurgy Industry. After transforming the operating mechanism of state-owned enterprises, actively exploring the establishment of a modern enterprise system, establishing a corporate group through reform, separating the main and supporting business lines, restructuring the supporting business lines, and transforming the centralized management system with a single legal entity into a management system based on parent-subsidiary relationships with multiple legal entities, the Shougang Group was established.

The Shougang Group has remained committed to reform and development. In the 21st century, Shougang launched a strategic relocation plan which was unprecedented in the industrial history of China and even the world. It relocated its factories from "mountainside" to "seaside," becoming the first large Chinese steel company to relocate from inland to the coast. It was also a pioneer in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The relocation of the Shougang Group laid a foundation for the structural adjustment of China's steel industry, the enhancement of independent innovation capabilities, and the development of the circular economy, and played a demonstration and leading role in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This has already become a part of the history of China's reform and opening up and the development of the steel industry. The CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal People's Government awarded Shougang the honorable title of "Meritorious Contributor". In February 2014, when General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Beijing and delivered an important speech on the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, he only mentioned the Shougang Group. He stated that "the relocation of the Shougang Group to Caofeidian is a concrete action that we should remain committed to."

Reform was an unceasing undertaking. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee ushered in the intensification of reform in all respects. The implementation of the comprehensive reform plan unveiled another reform of the Shougang Group. At such an intersection, employees with a strong sense of mission and responsibility continued to pursue new goals.

Deepening the reform of the headquarters control system was a profound revolution in management for the Shougang Group. On September 9, 2014, the Guiding Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Shougang Group in All Respects was officially released, and on October 10, 2015, the Framework for the Approach to Deepening the Reform of the Headquarters Control System of the Shougang Group was officially issued and implemented. In 2017, the Shougang Group became the only pilot entity for the deepening of SOE reform in Beijing. In 2018, the Shougang Group was selected as one of the Top 100 companies with strong economies of scale and Top 100 companies with high growth potential, ushering in a new milestone for its reform.

We put "courage" first and guarantee the presence of the "sense of responsibility" across the Shougang Group as a perpetual driving force for ongoing reform and development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Shougang Group has embarked on a new stage for the deepening of reform and transformative development. With the new circumstances and tasks kept in mind, a commitment to an international perspective and strategic thinking, as well as an open mind, the CPC Shougang Group Committee has laid down the dual-task strategy for corporate development, ushering in a new period of deepening reform in all respects and accelerating transformative development. It has been endeavoring to scale up the steel industry, accelerate the fostering of new segments, facilitate industry-finance integration, and expand business into overseas regions. Moreover, guided by the initiative to become a new landmark for the capital's urban revival in the new era, it has picked up the pace of the development of Shougang Park in Beijing and endeavored to set an example for innovation-driven and high-quality growth with reduced input. It has also followed the strategy of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, vigorously promoted the development of Caofeidian Park, and actively contributed to the relocation of non-capital functions in accordance with its position as a base for advanced manufacturing activities.

On February 1, 2019, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Shougang Park to enquire about Shougang's history, latest trends of industrial development, construction plan for the northern area, and construction progress of Big Air Shougang and New Shougang Bridge. He recognized our work when he learned that we were implementing the "Three-year Action Plan" in accordance with the requirements of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal People's Government, and making every effort to develop a new landmark for the capital's urban revival in the new era.

On June 30, 2020, the 14th Session of the Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform reviewed and approved the Three-year Action Plan for SOE Reform (2020–2022), which officially kicked off a three-year campaign of SOE reform. For the purpose of high-quality growth, the CPC Shougang Group Committee endeavored to improve the top-level design in accordance with the fundamental requirements for the combination of Party leadership and corporate governance, and the construction of a modern SOE system with Chinese characteristics. After repeated discussions, it proposed the Three-year Action Plan of the Shougang Group for SOE Reform (2020–2022). An assignment brief, roadmap, and timetable for reform was formulated to materialize the blueprint.

The Shougang Group has channeled real efforts to standardize the governance system, refine the main business structure, and improve business performance through a streamlined hierarchy. From minor to major changes, and from a single breakthrough to systematic improvement, it has completed all tasks of the Three-year Action Plan for SOE Reform while promoting high-quality growth.

A look back over the Shougang Group's 100-year history reveals that reform has been the main reason behind its founding and rise. It has always catered to the big picture of the Party and country and the urban development of Beijing, and overcome difficulties and pursued greater strength based on the deepening of reform in all respects. As more plans are realized and more tasks completed in the crucial stage of the "14th Five-year Plan" period, the Shougang Group is undertaking a new historical mission to pave the way for high-quality growth through continuous reform. Throughout reform, it has always followed the national policies while sharpening its edge and pursuing its dreams.

Daring to Create Innovations — Moving Forward in Practice

Founded in 1919, the Shougang Group has been committed to making progress for more than a hundred years. It has always played a trendsetting and pioneering role in innovative development.

Innovation is a permanent topic for companies and a recipe for their success. While exploring new production forces, the CPC Shougang Group Committee has taken the approach to high-quality growth into systematic consideration, made great efforts to find solutions, and clearly proposed to ''rely on technological innovation as our most important competitive advantage, integrate technological innovation with the innovation of management practices and the business model, drive comprehensive innovation through technological innovation, and accelerate our efforts to realize modernization with Chinese characteristics across the Group." Moreover, it has been done in accordance with the dialectical relationship between productive forces and production relations at the Group level, requirements for the development of new production forces, and a deeper understanding of innovation-driven and innovation-led development and practices. This has become the Shougang Group's strategy and path for the accelerated development of new production forces.

At one of the press conferences on "Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China" for the display of high-quality growth of state-owned assets and enterprises, the Shougang Group demonstrated how to develop new productive forces through technological innovation.

——The first task is to make groundbreaking breakthroughs to cater to China's major strategic needs. The Shougang Group pays great attention to the development of new materials, new processes, and new equipment, and contributes to overcoming weaknesses in the industrial or supply chain that may incur disadvantages or hinder important projects. Our self-developed superalloy materials have been applied to key projects in such fields as aircraft engines and gas turbines, and they have played a supporting role in completing the assembly of the first prototype of China's self-developed 300-MW F-class heavy-duty gas turbine. Our self-developed "silky steel" with a diameter of only 0.01 mm also represents a technological breakthrough in the basic materials for China's burner industry.

——The second task is to improve existing products to cater to the new demands for industrial structure adjustment. The Shougang Group has overcome a series of new technical problems to meet extreme requirements for strength, corrosion resistance, temperature, and specifications. Our self-developed "gauzy steel" is used in high-end electronic products such as equipment for 5G base stations and new energy vehicle battery balancers. Our electrical steel has made what is impossible possible, enabling low loss at high speed and high torque. At present, one out of every three new energy vehicles in China is equipped with our steel products.

——The third task is to dare to create new demands beyond existing product categories. The Shougang Group has actively opened up new space for development. Although hydrogen is known as the "ultimate energy of the 21st century", the materials for hydrogen production, transmission, and storage have versatile requirements. Our self-developed mass-produced hydrogen pipeline steel has been used in China's first pipeline for the transmission of gas with hydrogen under high pressure.

Minor changes in innovation will lead to major changes in corporate development. Over the first three years of the "14th Five-year Plan" period, the Shougang Group has unswervingly given top priority to technological innovation as its most important competitive advantage, which has spawned many major innovations and enhanced its competitiveness. It has undertaken 15 national key projects and established 12 joint R&D platforms with upstream and downstream leading companies and research institutions across the globe. Nineteen new products have been launched in China and overseas countries, and three strategic products, namely automotive steel sheets, electrical steel, and tinplate, have retained top three market share positions. In addition to 97 provincial and ministerial technology awards, we have obtained 1,243 invention patents—390 invention patents per 10,000 employees. Among nine international standards and 246 group, industrial, and national standards, four including Grain Oriented Cold-rolled Electrical Steel and Hot-rolled Steel Sheets and Strips for Structural Use have been evaluated as leading corporate standards. Twelve specialized, high-end, and innovation-driven subsidiaries have been established, and three of them, namely Beiye, Jitai'an, and Langze, are top performers. Two subsidiaries of the Shougang Group have been rated as "Demonstration Companies for Technological Reform" by SASAC. In 2023, taking second place in the patent innovation index of Chinese steel companies, the Shougang Group was honored with the title of "Company with Strong Performance in Patent Innovation." Over the past three years, it has achieved the best operating performance since its establishment 100 years ago, with all-time high operating income and total profits.

Technological innovation is no easy feat. It requires us to traverse bumpy and uneven roads, and overcome hardships and difficulties. However, the Shougang Group has always had confidence and courage which stem from its unrelenting attempts at technological innovation and its ongoing progress. Over the first three years of the "14th Five-year Plan" period, the world's first multi-mode continuous steel casting and rolling line, world's first specialized production line for electrical steel for new energy vehicles, and world's first specialized production line for ultra-thin grain-oriented electrical steel with high magnetic induction have been built and put into operation. 9Ni steel, known as "diamond steel,” has been supplied in batches, "silky steel" has broken down the monopoly of foreign suppliers, and "gauzy steel" has hit the world stage and inspired amazement... Through technological innovation and repeated practical attempts, the Shougang Group has laid a more solid foundation for future development and built up its confidence to remain even more unswervingly committed to technological innovation.

Over the first three years of the "14th Five-year Plan" period, the Shougang Group adopted the blue ocean strategy in the digital economy, explored many unknown areas, and achieved transformation. There have been many significant achievements. More than 10,000 investment projects are controlled by the "data network" to ensure stable and accurate investment; 170,000 assets are included in the "cloud library" for clear records and value appreciation; hundreds of millions of financial data items per month are compiled for the continuous and accurate tracking of economic activities in all respects; and the construction of "smart steel factories" and "lighthouse factories" is picking up pace... "Information is shared in the system, processes are mutually connected in the system, business lines are coordinated in the system, resources are used in the system, power is controlled in the system, and knowledge is passed down in the system." A large compilation of data demonstrates the vibrant power of the digital sector.

A review of the past 100 years of the Shougang Group, especially the 75 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, reveals that innovation has been an inseparable factor in corporate development. From ideological innovation to practical innovation, from institutional innovation to technological innovation, generations of Shougang employees have become trendsetters and pioneers with the courage to create innovations, creating glory after glory in the history of the development of China's steel industry. Throughout the past century, innovation has become the finest characteristic and strongest impulse of our employees, the greatest endowment that propelled the company to develop from scratch to a giant, as well as the most powerful driving force for the Shougang Group to maintain vitality and pursue sustainable development in the new era.

From 1949 to 1978, with a smart mind, a strong desire to break free, gratitude for the Party, and love for the People's Republic of China, Shougang employees pushed for the first all-out collective effort in the company's history.

On December 24, 1964, pioneering employees of the Shougang Group built the first top-blown rotary converter in the history of China's steel industry, replacing the open-hearth furnace in China's steelmaking process.

After the first 30-ton top-blown rotary converter was put into operation, the second and third ones were quickly built and put into production in 1965 and 1967 respectively. These three converters produced two million tons of steel per year, which was an all-time high record, and were recognized by our counterparts and foreign experts as "the fastest converters in the world." In this way, we became the pioneer and leader of technological transformation for steelmaking in China.

In the 1960s, the Shougang Group figured out a groundbreaking solution due to the limited choices of coking coal and expensive price of coke. After more than two years of unremitting experiments, Shougang technicians successfully completed the industrial test of pulverized coal injection on April 30, 1964 in Blast Furnace #1. In January 1966, this test was also completed in Blast Furnaces #2 and #3. Among these blast furnaces, Blast Furnace #1 smelted around 2.55 tons/m3 per day, consumed 336 kg coke per ton of pig iron, and injected 223 kg of coal. This was a high standard worldwide, marking that China's ironmaking process had caught up with the advanced level in the world for the first time.

After more than half a century, pulverized coal injection developed by Shougang employees was disseminated all over the world. This innovation ushered in efficient resource utilization in the ironmaking process and set a remarkable example for saving resources and improving human well-being worldwide.

Top-blown rotary converters and pulverized coal injection inspired Shougang employees to further stimulate innovative vitality and make innovative achievements. From a factory with a capacity of merely 286,000 tons of iron 30 years before liberation to a key base for steel production in China 30 years after liberation, the Shougang Group captured the attention of the Chinese people and even people around the world for its innovation practices.

New Blast Furnace #2, which was put into operation in December 1979, set more than 10 national and world records, including an empty bell-like top, top fired stove, pulverized coal injection, automatic feeding system, furnace cooling with water, automatic control of several production links, and noise, smoke, and dust removal devices. The Shougang Group's independent innovations enabled China's ironmaking process to catch up with the advanced level in the world. Foreign counterparts and experts said, "Shougang is a miracle maker."

New Blast Furnace #2 ceased operation with the relocation of the Shougang Group. However, groundbreaking innovations represented by New Blast Furnace #2, as well as the spirit of Shougang employees, have undoubtedly become an indelible part of the history of China's modern metallurgical industry.

Shougang employees who dare to break down stereotypes and make breakthroughs keep on moving forward unstoppably. Through numerous pioneering attempts, they have made tremendous and magnificent achievements.

In 2005, the Shougang Group started to relocate from mountainside to seaside and transform its business structure. Under the national strategies of innovation-driven development and the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, it has made every effort to promote independent, collaborative, and open innovation. With its business distributed across several regions, a new technological innovation system of independent and open innovation has been shaped. Tremendous efforts for innovation have been made, including creating an innovation system based on openness and cooperation with external research institutions; developing a product and technology R&D system that distributes first-level research institutions across multiple regions and affiliates multiple centers to a research institution, creating a marketing-oriented system for marketing-university-research cooperation; supporting product and process development in multiple locations with first-class experimental and R&D facilities; and innovating the recruitment and training mechanism for researchers... With the support of the innovation system based on openness and cooperation, the Shougang Group's core competitiveness has been growing. At present, the Shougang Group has achieved the transformation of its steel business and shifted its product structure to the middle-and high-end categories. It occupies the largest market share in bridge and wheel steel, the second largest market share in automotive steel sheets, one of the largest market shares in electrical steel, distributes tinplate across all high-end customers, and constantly launches new products in China and overseas countries.

The Shougang Group has always given top priority to technological innovation, focused on core technologies and bottlenecks in the production lines, endeavored to find solutions and overcome difficulties, developed new processes and products with the use of innovations, and promoted high-quality growth through technological innovation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Shougang Group has practiced the new development concepts, promoted the transformation of traditional segments such as steel, fostered emerging segments with vigorous efforts, actively planned for future segments, and promoted the development of new production forces through innovation. It has won 235 technology prizes at or above the provincial and ministerial levels, including five second prizes for national technological progress. It has also been honored with the titles of "National Demonstration Company for Intellectual Property" and "Company with Strong Performance in Patent Innovation".

The reason for the ongoing expansion of the Shougang Group, especially the transformation from long product to flat product manufacturers through relocation, and its ever growing competitiveness, is that it has kept consolidating the groundwork and enhancing technological innovation. In the early stages of the “14th Five-year Plan” period, the CPC Shougang Group Committee proposed to regard advanced technology as a core competitive advantage. By learning and practicing the guiding principle of the 20th CPC National Congress, we have acquired a deep understanding of a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies regarding technological innovation proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, summarized innovation practices, analyzed the current situation, focused on long-term development in the future, and made work plans with the long-term existence of the company in mind. We have further proposed to give top priority to technological innovation as the most important competitive advantage. The strategic change from "core competitive advantage" to "the most important competitive advantage" is not merely a change of words, but represents a lesson learned from practice and a deeper understanding of the role of technological innovation. Promoting technological innovation as the most important competitive advantage is not only a requirement of the Party and country, but also an urgent necessity to ensure healthy and sustainable corporate development.

We should sing high praise for the Shougang Group for its independent innovation over a history of 100 years! We should also sing high praise for its brave employees who dare to explore, try, and create innovations, and move forward through thorny obstacles relentlessly! The courage for innovation is a strong impulse of Shougang employees. For a century, the Shougang Group has been growing and achieving competitive advantages under the guidance of innovation. Our practice of innovative development illustrates how to promote high-quality growth through technological innovation.

Daring to Blaze New Trails — Setting New Trends in the Transformation Process 

Founded in 1919, the Shougang Group has been changing constantly and setting an example for transformative development.

From a steel production base to a demonstration area for the green transformation of traditional industries, and from a venue for the Olympic Games to a world-famous park, Shougang Park keeps pace with the development of the city and continues to play a pioneering role in transformation. It not only demonstrates the progress of China's modern industry, but also leads urban revitalization in the new era.

As an important urban functional area on the west axis of Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, the Shougang Group has focused on the mission of developing itself into ''a demonstration cluster and supporting cluster of Beijing,'' intensified the sustainable use of industrial heritage and legacy assets of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, paid close attention to four-pronged rejuvenation, consciously catered to the four functions of Beijing, actively engaged in the five key initiatives of Beijing, and created a new landmark for urban revitalization which is moving towards a shared future.

By moving from the southern foot of the Western Hills to the shore of the Bohai Sea, the Shougang Group has taken the lead in easing Beijing's non-capital functions and completing the relocation of its business. It has thus become the vanguard and forerunner for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. On its former site, unprecedented urban renewal is taking place.

The planning of Shougang Park has taken long and arduous efforts. Its refurbishment follows the principle of "maximum preservation" for the purpose of maintaining its historical and cultural position as "a century-old steel park, the cradle of the PRC's metallurgical industry, and a symbol of reform and opening up." A new path of protection based on the classification of a building according to its functions and values has been developed. Protective renovation and functional revitalization have been advocated for core protected areas, which reflects the Shougang Group's historical and cultural values. Through such renovation, new functions, new spaces, and new environments that cater to contemporary needs for development have been integrated, thereby preserving the aesthetic of industrial heritage while assigning it new functions.

In 2013, the refurbishment of Xishi Silo Area was listed by the National Development and Reform Commission as one of the first pilot projects for the relocation and refurbishment of areas of industrial decline across the country. It was also the first refurbishment project of Shougang Park. To revitalize industrial heritage, Shougang Park unprecedentedly combined Olympic and industrial elements while preserving the original charm, representing a unique form of industrial heritage reutilization.

The silo that had been used for the storage of ironmaking materials was converted into the office of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; and the giant factory buildings such as the cleaned coal workshop were converted into the National Winter Sports Training Center with its short track speed skating, figure skating, curling, and ice hockey arenas. In 2016, as the first department to move into Shougang Park, the office of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games was exposed to the media for the first time. From then on, Shougang Park gradually embarked on the road of revival and caught worldwide attention as the venue for the summer and winter Olympic games.

In June 2018, Shougang became the official partner of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics as the highest-level sponsor of the Organizing Committee. It was categorized into urban renewal, a new sponsor category in the history of the Olympics. Based on urban renewal, Shougang Park was selected as one of the first national pilot projects for the transformation of areas of industrial decline, a national pilot area for the comprehensive reform of the service industry, a national experimental zone for sustainable development, a Zhongguancun national demonstration zone for independent innovation, and a pilot national smart city...

It was also in this year that the Shougang Group's Blast Furnace #3, which stood just opposite the office of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, was revitalized as an innovative attempt to reutilize industrial heritage and a symbol of the transformation of Shougang Park. On the evening of November 23, 2018, a Mercedes-Benz car launch in Shougang Park opened up infinite possibilities for the combination of industrial style and modern technology. The reutilization of Blast Furnace #3 pioneered the transformation of large industrial installations into civilian buildings, and the vibrancy derived from the renewal of industrial heritage set an example for the transformation of industrial parks. Today, Blast Furnace #3 is a center for world premieres, a popular tourist attraction, and a major venue for cultural activities. It is the place where the China Science Fiction Convention, Beijing Xishan Yongding River Cultural Festival, and Beijing Fashion Week were held, which commanded widespread attention.

In 2018, there was a long list of tasks for the transformative development of Shougang Park. With a focus on areas around Tongming Lake and Jiahui Lake, these tasks involved completing the construction of the National Winter Sports Training Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and surrounding roads, commencing the construction of Big Air Shougang and supporting facilities for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and promoting supporting policies for winter sports and the winter sports industry...

Immediately after the three blast furnaces made their stunning debut, construction began on a highly anticipated landmark building: Big Air Shougang.

The designers of Big Air Shougang fully considered the protection of industrial heritage. With four 70 m-high cooling towers standing against the backdrop of the Shijing Mountain, it maintained Shougang Park's industrial style and the unique landscape of the western part of Beijing. It set an example for the combination of industrial heritage with the concept of frugality, a green Olympics, and the integration of Chinese traditional culture, modern technology, and artistic design. As the world's first permanent stadium for big air events, Big Air Shougang hosted winter sports events and the Winter Carnival after the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. It was designed to hold extreme sports events, outdoor concerts, light shows, and premieres based on its characteristics, and thus be put into sustainable use in all four seasons. After the shutdown, Shougang Park promoted the urban renewal of areas of industrial decline by taking advantage of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, enabling it to transform from a steel plant to a winter sports venue and become a new landmark for the revitalization of the capital in the new era.

No company has had such a deep connection with the Olympics as the Shougang Group. Corresponding to environmental conservation purposes and the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Shougang Group moved to Caofeidian. In 2015, Beijing became the host city for the Winter Olympics. During the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Shougang Park was dubbed the ''Gold Medal Park.'' As time has gone by, Shougang's desire to be a part of the Olympics has never diminished, a desire which is underpinned by the courage of its employees to blaze new trails.

The International Olympic Committee states on its website that one of the greatest legacies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is the revitalization of Shougang Park. The transformation of Shougang Park epitomizes China's green Olympics. Today, the Olympic legacy assets in Shougang Park continue to benefit the public.

Although it has already been two years since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the legacy assets are still playing a positive role in Shougang Park. On February 4, 2023, on the first anniversary of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, aiming to promote economic development with the use of legacy assets, the new general plan described Shougang Park as ''a demonstration zone for the green transformation of traditional industries, an innovation cluster for high-end industries in western Beijing, and a base for cultural and sports events in the post-industrial age.''

The Shougang Group has kept in mind the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the responsibilities of state-owned companies, and the new mission of the current stage—creating a new landmark for urban revitalization!

Since the Action Plan for Revitalizing the Capital in the New Era through the Construction of New Landmarks and Accelerating the Transformative Development of Western Beijing (2022–2025) was implemented, the Shougang Group has put the new development concepts into action, made active efforts to engage in new development trends, taken advantage of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, focused on cultural revival, ecological revival, industrial revival, and reinvigoration, intensified the integration of industrial development and urban development, accelerated the development of Shougang Park, and established a new landmark for urban revival. This represents the relocation from ''mountainside'' to ''seaside'' and the transformation from a steelmaking zone to a winter sports center.

——Over the past century, the Shougang Group has laid a solid historical and cultural foundation. Factory buildings and equipment on its former site have become living relics of a century-old industrial culture, witnessing the arduous process of entrepreneurship and development at the foot of Shijing Mountain and beside Yongding River. They are also a part of the history of Beijing. Today, by integrating industrial culture with the legacy assets of the Winter Olympics and innovation, Shougang Park has transformed into a new cultural landmark in the capital with a profound industrial past set against the backdrop of the beautiful natural landscape.

——The Shougang Group has creatively applied the concepts of "woven city" and "sponge city" to construction planning, followed the concepts of green ecology and human settlement, maintained the original style of industrial heritage, perfectly integrated plain factory buildings into the new park with lush green space, ensured world-level planning, and developed an area of industrial decline into a zone that caters to the capital's strategic positions and functions, a demonstration area for the transformation of traditional industries with national and even international influence, and a national demonstration park for green and low-carbon development.

——As the host venue for large events such as CIFTIS and the China Science Fiction Convention, Shougang Park has continuously increased its brand influence, brought together competitive resources, further promoted industrial development, and exerted a greater appeal to its external partners. By insisting on the acceleration of industrial agglomeration and the improvement of asset quality, it has focused on promoting the agglomeration of high-tech resources, formulating a "1+3+X" paradigm for high-tech resources, and developing itself into an important urban functional area on the west axis of Chang'an Avenue in the capital and a demonstration cluster for Beijing's role as an international science and technology innovation center.

——The former steel park is now bustling with life and activity. In order to stimulate regional consumption, the Shougang Group has explored the potential for a rise in consumption, further promoted the sustainable use of industrial heritage, exploited its natural landscape, legacy assets from the Winter Olympics and China Science Fiction Convention, and industrial heritage, accelerated the development of new scenarios for customers, conceived of socialization scenarios for urban renewal in industrial areas, cultivated new formats for consumers and brand projects, strengthened the application of science fiction scenarios and the metaverse, and improved services and products to attract higher-end consumers. Unique scenarios for consumers are being created which will invigorate western Beijing and enable Shougang Park to become a supporting cluster for Beijing's role as an international center for consumers.

Shougang Park has played an exemplary role in urban renewal and urban revitalization in China. At present, it is the epitome of transformative modernization with Chinese characteristics driven by the Winter Olympics, whether it assumes the role of a winter sports center, a host venue for the science fiction convention, or a hotspot for consumers.

Many people know that Shougang Park has become a ''new landmark for urban revitalization'' thanks to the dauntless exploration of Shougang's aspirational and pioneering employees. It has been the host venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, CIFTIS, and the China Science Fiction Convention for four consecutive years, as well as the first WTT China Smash. It is also a demonstration cluster for Beijing's role as an international science and technology innovation center, as well as a supporting cluster for Beijing’s role as an international center for consumers. In 2023, more than 12 million people visited Shougang Park...

Today, when you pass by New Shougang Bridge, you will definitely be enticed by the shining lights and bustling liveliness of Shougang Park. Under the guidance of the three-year action plan for the transformative development of western Beijing, Shougang Park has accelerated rebirth, created a vibrant development space for young people and international visitors, and explored the "Shougang model" for the renewal of areas of industrial decline. It has upheld the principles of openness and cooperation, followed a professional and market-oriented operation and development model based on international standards, actively introduced new formats, new models, and new scenarios, and made ongoing efforts to launch important projects, promote industrial agglomeration, and stimulate vitality.

Over these years, Shougang Park has relocated from mountainside to seaside and transformed from a steel-making area to a winter sports center, and from factory buildings to an urban landmark. From the changes that have occurred to the century-old factory buildings by Yongding River in western Beijing, we can perceive the progress of urban development and national development, and we can find that the Shougang Group has become a living reminder of the past and a distinctive presence of the present, and will even become the epitome of future development. How should we renovate industrial heritage? How should we make sustainable use of the legacy assets of the Winter Olympics? How should we inspire new vitality in areas of industrial decline? The answers are the unique scenarios developed by pioneering Shougang employees.

Time waits for no man, and history can never be turned back. Over the course of history, Shougang employees have honed their spirit and pursued their dreams with dedication and a strong sense of responsibility. They closely follow the zeitgeist, pass on the pioneering and persevering corporate spirit, contribute to corporate and national development with unswerving confidence in corporate culture, and set a new example for corporate transformation and urban revitalization in the new era.

From the autumn of 1919 to the autumn of 2024, the Shougang Group has experienced an unprecedented journey full of thorny obstacles and an adventurous voyage that reflects the unique responsibilities of state-owned companies. To respond to the requirement for high-quality transformative growth, Shougang Park has assumed the roles of a winter sports center and a host venue for the science fiction convention and CIFTIS, and blazed a new trail of development with its own characteristics. With hope in their hearts, Shougang employees who have developed true grit over the years are continuing their legendary story.

This is a new landmark for urban revitalization which is moving towards a shared future.

This is Shougang Park, founded in 1919.