On December 28, 2021, GEM celebrated its 20th anniversary. In the past two decades, GEM has been working hard on green & low-carbon development and circular economy, making many good friends. Entrepreneurs and builders of GEM, by making painstaking efforts, have made the industrial legend of waste recycling in the world featuring “elimination of pollution and rebuilding resources”. On this day with the milestone significance, GEM organized the 20th anniversary to congratulate on the 20-year accomplishments.

The event was held at the main venue of the GEM Jingmen Industrial Park, with sub-venues in Shenzhen, Jiangxi, Taixing of Jiangsu, Wuxi of Jiangsu, Wuhan and Indonesia. Professor Xu Kaihua, founder and Board Chairman of GEM, Ms. Wang Min, GEM Co-founder and Director, Mr. Chen Xingti, GEM Director, Mr. Wu Shujie, GEM Independent Director, and Mr. Zhou Bo, Chairman of GEM Board of Supervisors, attended the event.

At 8:00 a.m., Chairman Xu Kaihua and Mayor Li Tao of Jingmen City planted a “neutralization tree” in GEM Carbon Neutralization Wood, marking the launch of “building 10,000 Chinese mu of Carbon Neutralization Wood in GEM”, representing the GEM’s determination to firmly practice the “double carbon” goal and indicating its resolution to cooperate with upstream and downstream companies and jointly promote ESG cooperation in the global industrial chain, develop green new energy industry and fulfil the green mission.

Picture 1 GEM Chairman Professor Xu Kaihua and Mayor Li Tao of Jingmen City are planting the “neutralization tree”

The celebration received more than 1,000 video blessings from officials of the Indonesian government, the Pohang Government of Korea, more than ten cities in China, upstream and downstream partners and friends from all walks of life. Many government dignitaries, world industry leaders and chairmen recorded their blessing videos for GEM. These are the most precious gift for GEM’s 20th anniversary!

The blessings sent by Mr. Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, represent Indonesian national congratulations; the blessings from Kang-Duk Lee, Mayor of Pohang City, Republic of Korea, function as the symbol of China-ROK cooperation and friendship; the blessings from China Construction Bank, Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Everbright Bank, Huaxia Bank, Agricultural Development bank, Bank of Jiangsu, Bank of Hubei and other major banks represent the powerful force of green finance; blessings from SDI Chairman King of Korea’s Samsung and LG Chemical bring world-class super appearance; the blessings from Mr. Li Changdong, Chairman of CATL Brunp give the right path of development; the blessing from President Lee of ECOPRO, Korea, define the future of cooperation; the blessings from Chairman Liu Jincheng of EVE point out the common mission of upstream and downstream companies to contribute to green development; Glencore and Trafigura, the Fortune World 500 Companies and the leading mining giants, represent the praises from Switzerland; the blessings from URT, a world-leading leading crusher manufacturer in Germany, are just like a Hollywood blockbuster; the blessings from Toyota and Mitsui & Co. light up the cooperation and friendship between Chinese and Japanese enterprises; the blessings of Tsinghan reveal the strong atmosphere of “nickel industry”; the blessings from heads of more than 50 public companies, including President Xie Kangdang of China Tungsten, Chairman Bai Houshan of Ronbay New Energy Technology, Chairman Yuan Meihe of OKE, Chairman Chen Kai of Jiangsu Aucksun, President Long Boyong of Boyun New Materials, as well as top executives of Sinopec, Xiamen Tungsten, Foxconn Industrial Internet, C&D, Jiangxi Copper, CMOC, ZOOMLION, Bosch, Shareate, Zhangyuan Tungsten, Yonfer and Morimatsu represent the friendship between GEM and upstream and downstream partners; the blessings from Chairman Chen Xuehua of Huayou Cobalt industry, and Chairman Deng Weimin of  CNGR represent the model for peers to move forward hand in hand; the blessings from Shenzhen Public Companies Association have brought strong energy to 500 public companies in Shenzhen; The teachers and students of Central South University, where Chairman Xu Kaihua was graduated, voice their supported to GEM; the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University sent the blessings of the double- carbon era; the blessings from Professor Sun Xueliang, Academician of the two academies of Canada and foreign associate of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Chen Yong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Pan Feng of Tsinghua University and Independent Director of GEM, Professor Liu Zhonghua of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, and other scientists and professors highly affirmed GEM contribution to world recycling technology; Academician Nie Zuoren, President of Beijing University of Technology, sent a congratulatory letter to praise the GEM achievements in making industry-university-research cooperation; the blessings from Mr. He Guojie, the former Chairman of Guangdong Venture Capital Group, Mr. Zheng Weihe, the Chairman of COWIN Capital, as well as the blessings from Zhongzhi Group and Beijing Energy represent typical cases of partnership between GEM and capital community; the blessings from China Circular Economy Association indicate that China’s circular economy is booming; the blessings from South African SHU Metal are tributes from Africans; The blessings from Anglo American ART hint the resonance of ESG value; President Ma Yao of CITIC Securities and Chairman Jin Wenzhong of Orient Securities reveal that intermediaries will continue to escort the green development of GEM; the blessings from news media such as Shanghai Securities News, Securities Times and  Hubei Daily convey green positive energy to the society; Dr. Yoshiichi Yamamoto, the Japanese tutor of Chairman Xu Kaihua, a world-renowned environmental materials scientist and tenured honorary professor of the University of Tokyo, in his 80s, personally sent a congratulatory letter to encourage GEM to continue to create a “prosperous century of green development!”

As cloud blessings came from governments and enterprises around the world, Chairman Xu Kaihua expressed heartfelt thanks to leaders, friends and global partners who have cared about and supported the development of GEM recycling industry in the past 20 years. Then, he elaborated on the 20-year history of GEM, ranging from the business start in Shenzhen to the construction of 16 advanced circular parks in 11 provinces and cities, and investments in Korea, Indonesia and South Africa. At every step, GEM has worked hard in the firm way to lay a solid foundation for the green development concept of “limited resources, unlimited recycling”.

Picture 2 GEM Chairman Xu Kaihua is making a keynote speech

Professor Xu Kaihua said that over the past 20 years, GEM has been mining urban mines to create a recycling factory in the world, aiming to become a practitioner and pioneer of urban mining in China. GEM has built a ten million-ton nickel cobalt tungsten lithium “urban mine” in China. The annual recycled cobalt resources exceed 2.2 times of China’s original cobalt mining volume. The recycled nickel resources account for 8% of China’s original nickel mining volume, and the recycled tungsten resources account for more than 5% of China’s original tungsten mining volume. Over the past ten years, 36,000 tons of recycled cobalt resources have been recycled in GEM, which is equivalent to mining (saving) 13.36 million tons of raw cobalt ore. At the same time, GEM has recycled and disposed of 70.83 million scrapped household appliances (if the electronic wastes recycled each year are arranged one by one, they can circle the earth’s equator twice). By recycling electronic waste and batteries, dismantling end-of-life vehicles and recycling cobalt, nickel, manganese, aluminum and other metals, GEM has reduced the carbon emission by more than 2.61 million tons and an artificial afforestation of more than 260 million trees. Calculated by 150 timber forests per Chinese mu, GEM has actually built a continuous forest of more than 1.74 million Chinese mu and saved more than one million barrels of oil. With solid actions, GEM has undertaken the green mission of “eliminating pollution and recycling resources”, and has made positive contributions to China’s winning the blue sky defense war and the development of circular society.

The ultra-fine cobalt powder recycled by GEM occupies the first place in the world market for five consecutive years, and the ternary precursor material occupies the second place in the world market. 50% of the world’s cemented carbide tool products use ultra-fine cobalt powder made by GEM. Over 15% of the world’s ternary battery new energy vehicles are loaded with ternary precursor “core” materials made by GEM. From waste recycling to material recycling, from green manufacturing to making green, GEM has deeply interpreted the connotation of “limited resources and unlimited recycling”.

Chairman Xu Kaihua recalled the experience in the past 20 years of sincere cooperation and deep friendship with upstream and downstream partners. He said, “The past 20 years has witnessed us making friendship and global partnership”. He particularly described that during the world epidemic, GEM and the upstream and downstream partners of the world have helped each other, jointly responded to the challenges of the world epidemic, ensured the stability of the supply chain, and deeply interpreted the common value of “money is like water, business for the good”.

Recalling the brilliant past 20 years, Chairman Xu Kaihua expressed six thanks, “First, our thanks go to the Party and governments at all levels. At a time of loss, the Party and government helped us cut through thorns and move towards the bright road. At a critical moment, the Party and government gave us strength to help us climb over the ridge and reach the other side of victory. Second, our thanks go to the entrepreneurial team, all GEM employees and shareholders. Third, our  thanks go to the financial institutions, which have continuously introduced life to GEM recycling industry to provide financial support for all stages of GEM’s development. Fourth, our thanks go to the capital market, which has helped the garbage disposal companies go public, give our green ideal the wings of capital, and realize the industrial dream of developing urban mines. Fifthly, our thanks go to the global upstream and downstream partners and friends who have made joint progress with us over the past 20 years, and who have built the global cooperative value chain and helped us become the core enterprise of the global supply chain. Sixth, our thanks go to the media for voicing their support to us, broadcasting positive energy for GEM, and making GEM brand reputation reach the world.

Subsequently, he summarized the ten brilliant labels, ten partnership cases and ten humanistic management stories of GEM in the past 20 years, and elaborated on the green development path of GEM in the past 20 years.

Before conclusion, Chairman Xu Kaihua expressed to his global friends and supply chain that after 20 years of circulation, low carbon will create the future. GEM will embark on the new journey. The 20th  anniversary is not only a magnificent historical node, but also a new starting point for low-carbon development. Standing at the historical intersection of the era of great changes, GEM is ready to work with global partners to gather development consensus in the low-carbon era, deepen mutual trust, cooperation and win-win, jointly promote ESG cooperation in the global industrial chain, jointly develop green industry and build a global community of green destiny. Chairman Xu Kaihua invited friends from all over the world to raise their glasses and drink for the double-carbon target, all the way from the recycling station to the carbon neutralization station.

A just cause helps more, and being grateful is more important. At the event site, after Professor Xu Kaihua presented a thank-you card to Mr. Ma Huaiyi, the strategic partner, and Mr. Lu Rixin, the Chief Researcher of Orient Securities, the celebration entered another climax - the 20th anniversary recognition of individuals.

Ms. Wang Min, Co-founder and GEM Director, was awarded the medal of “the highest meritorious person of the 20th anniversary of the group”, and ten people such as Zhou Bo, Chairman of the GEM Board of Supervisors and Yang Xiaohua, Founder of Jiangsu Cobalt Nickel Metal, were awarded the medal of “the outstanding meritorious person of the 20th anniversary of GEM”. 39 people including Zhong Jilong, the first expert of the group who broke through the common technical problems in the green recycling industry of waste resources, were given the “outstanding contributor award of the 20th anniversary of GEM”. Thousands of employees such as Chen Tianbin were awarded the “striving award of the 20th anniversary of GEM” for their contributions to the development and entrepreneurship, industrial expansion, technological innovation, quality innovation, operation and management of GEM. They are the witnesses of 20 years of trials and hardships, the builders of opening up territory, the hardworking employees of GEM, and the pioneers and guardians on the way forward in GEM 20-year development.

Picture 3 The event gives the title of the “highest meritorious person of the 20th anniversary of the group”

Subsequently, the event commended ten leading talents and innovative figures, including Zhang Yuping, in utilization of waste power batteries and urban mineral development in 2021, and rewarded each person with a BYD Han pure electric car worth about CNY 30,0000. The event also selected 252 outstanding contributors, excellent craftsmen and production pacesetters in 2021, 35 excellent teams and 78 innovation and quality projects, and carried out on-site commendation.

Picture 4 Prizes for leading talent and innovation figures of GEM in 2021

In the slogan of “20 Years Made the Recycling Legend，Low Carbon Creates Future; Striving for the 14th Five Year Plan and to break through output value of 50 billion” which resounded through the activity site, Professor Xu Kaihua, Board Chairman of GEM, Ms. Wang Min, Director of GEM, other directors, supervisors and representatives at all levels jointly launched the ceremony, which once again pushed the atmosphere to a climax.

Picture 5 Start afresh ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of GEM

GEM will hold high the low-carbon banner of green operation, cooperation and global ESG, adhere to the original intention of the cycle, bear in mind the green mission, be the person in charge of green development, the leader of the low-carbon era and the core of the new energy industry, and make green contributions to the Glasgow Climate Pact for Chinese enterprises.