[Honoring Workers • Celebrating the Artisan Spirit] The people write history, and labor forges brilliance. 2025 marks the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan—and a pivotal year in comprehensively deepening reform and advancing the process of Chinese modernization. In recent years, trade unions at all levels across the city, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, have earnestly implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and instructions during his inspection tour of Hunan, actively engaging in the vibrant practice of high‑quality development in Yueyang. As the International Labor Day on May 1st approaches, in order to vigorously promote the model worker spirit, the labor spirit, and the artisan spirit, and to sound the strongest note of our times, the Municipal Federation of Trade Unions has specially launched the “Honoring Workers • Celebrating the Artisan Spirit” column. Through this platform, we will publicize and report on the exemplary deeds of our city’s model workers and artisans, listen to their stories of struggle, appreciate the spirit of the times, and pool tremendous strength to write a new chapter in the socialist modernization of “Seven Yueyangs”!

From a green‑eyed student to an industry benchmark, he has spearheaded the breakthrough of multiple “bottleneck” technologies and driven domestic substitution; he has chaired the drafting of national standards that turn waste gas into valuable resources, thereby contributing to the achievement of the “Dual Carbon” goals; he has been rooted in the production front line for fourteen years, nurturing talent with meticulous craftsmanship and building a highly skilled, solidly grounded industrial team. He is Fan Qiang, a Model Worker of Hunan Province and the Technical Director of Yueyang Kaimite Electronic Special Rare Gases Co., Ltd.

From “technical vanguard” to “standard setter,” safeguarding clear waters and blue skies through innovation.

In 2009, after graduating from the Chemical Engineering Department of Hunan University, Fan Qiang chose to dedicate himself to the chemical industry. He was well aware that chemical production not only serves as the engine of economic development but also faces significant environmental challenges. To address this, he spent years working directly in the workshop, seamlessly integrating theory with practice and steadily honing his expertise. In 2017, he spearheaded the company’s project to retrofit the tail gas recovery system for argon extraction. By optimizing process parameters, he increased the argon extraction rate by 30%, resulting in annual cost savings and efficiency gains exceeding 10 million yuan. This breakthrough made him realize that technological innovation not only reduces costs and boosts efficiency but also plays a crucial role in driving green transformation.

Led by Fan Qiang, the national standard “Principles and Requirements for Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Gases in Industrial Parks” and the group standard “Guidelines for Carbon Dioxide Recovery Technology from Industrial Emissions” were drafted, providing scientific and standardized guidance for the industry. The latter was designated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as one of the 100 Model Group Standards for 2022, becoming the “Yueyang Experience” promoted nationwide. With his technical support, Kaimite Company has successively built food-grade liquid carbon dioxide production facilities with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons in Quanzhou and Yueyang, capable of recovering more than 5 billion cubic meters of industrial tail gas each year—equivalent to planting 5.5 million trees and yielding significant emission reduction benefits.

Break through the “bottleneck” challenges and let China’s gases shine on the “chip” stage.

“Key technologies must be firmly in our own hands!” This is a phrase that Fan Qiang often has on the tip of his tongue. In 2021, he led the construction of Hunan Province’s first full‑process rare gas extraction and high‑precision blending facility, successfully developing electronic‑grade laser gases with a purity as high as 99.9999%. The product has been certified by international industry giants, breaking foreign monopolies and being applied to the deposition and etching stages of domestically produced high‑process chips, injecting a “powerful boost” into the security of the semiconductor industry chain. Industry experts commented: “This technology fills a gap in the Central and South China region and marks a crucial step forward in China’s drive to localize the production of specialty electronic gases.”

The path of innovation is endless. In recent years, Fan Qiang has led his team in overcoming 10 patented technologies, including two invention patents such as “A System for Producing High‑Purity Carbon Dioxide,” which have further boosted tail gas recovery efficiency by an additional 20%. The “Optimized Design of Rare Gas Distillation Columns” project he spearheaded has even brought blending accuracy to an internationally leading level.

Cultivate skilled professionals with meticulous craftsmanship and forge a “vanguard” in green chemical engineering.

“Strength in one person is not true strength; true strength lies in a strong team.” As a technical leader, Fan Qiang has innovatively implemented training mechanisms such as “Team‑Level Mini Lectures” and “Mentor–Apprentice Contracts,” personally pairing up with young employees to not only pass on technical expertise but also instill a dedication to craftsmanship. Under his leadership, five team members have been recognized as Senior Engineers, 12 have become core project personnel, and several mentor–apprentice pairs have even earned the title of “Outstanding Mentor–Apprentice Pair of Model Workers and Craftsmen in Hunan Province.”

From workshop technician to industry leader, Fan Qiang has always stayed true to his original aspiration. He often says, “The value of an engineer lies in using technology to make industries greener and our motherland stronger.” Today, Fan Qiang still shuttles between production lines and laboratories, embodying the spirit of craftsmanship with his footsteps and writing a vivid testament to green development in the new era through his actions.