The symposium on steel‑structure industry research, organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Steel Structure Industry Association and hosted by Zhejiang Yuegong Steel Structure Co., Ltd., was held on June 27, 2015, in the fourth‑floor conference room of the company’s comprehensive building. The event brought together 37 participants, including Party Baowei, President of the Architectural Steel Structure Branch of the China Building Metal Structure Association; Hu Yukuo, Vice President of the same branch; Liang Yuefeng, Director of the Quality Department of the China Building Metal Structure Association; Zhang Kaisheng, Secretary-General of the Zhejiang Provincial Steel Structure Industry Association; Dong Feng, Deputy Secretary-General; Luo Yaozhi, Vice Dean of the College of Civil Engineering at Zhejiang University; Pan Jinyan, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Zhejiang Academy of Building Science and Design; as well as leaders from leading steel‑structure enterprises across the province. The meeting was chaired by Hu Yukuo, Vice President of the Steel Structure Branch of the China Building Metal Structure Association.
As the host of the conference, Chen Bailiang, Chairman of the Board of Yuegong Group, delivered a welcoming address, briefly outlining the Group’s industrial portfolio, the development and achievements of Yuegong Steel Structure, and, in a spirit of sharing insights, discussed the company’s plans—drawing on the formulation of the 13th Five-Year Plan—to restructure its operations, pursue innovative development, focus on specialization and excellence, and cultivate Yuegong Steel Structure as a “little giant” brand.
At the meeting, Dang Baowei, President of the Steel Structure Branch of the China Association for Metal Structures, and Liang Yuefeng, Director of the Quality Department, each delivered important speeches.
The President of the Party’s Protection Committee elaborated on the significant implications of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development’s plan to dedicate an independent chapter to steel structures within the “13th Five-Year Plan” for the construction industry. He noted that, in previous planning efforts, steel‑structure engineering was not singled out as a distinct specialty when formulating five-year development plans for the construction sector. Thanks to the association’s growing influence, the relevant government authorities now deem it necessary to include steel structures as a separate professional category in the construction industry’s development blueprint. Therefore, we must seize this opportunity. The key objectives of the steel‑structure industry’s 13th Five-Year Plan fall into three main areas: first, securing official government recognition; second, gaining broad societal acceptance; and third, fostering innovative developments in the qualification system for the steel‑structure sector. The President emphasized that, throughout the process of drafting the steel‑structure industry plan, it is essential to achieve endorsement from both the government and the public, as well as buy‑in from the steel‑structure enterprises themselves. To this end, the industry should not only lead the entire construction sector in industrialization, modernization, and large‑scale production but also deliver new breakthroughs in output value. At the same time, policy formulation must fully take into account the interests of steel‑structure companies.
Director Liang Yuefeng provided a detailed overview of the basic status, guiding principles, and fundamental approach underlying the formulation of the construction industry’s 13th Five-Year Plan. He presented ten key targets to the attendees, including: by the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan, steel consumption in building steel structures should account for more than 15% of national steel production; the total output value of building steel structures should comprise 10% of the construction industry’s total output value; steel‑structure residential construction should represent 10% of the floor area of newly built housing; and steel‑structure buildings should make up 20% of all new green buildings. In addition, Director Liang offered an exhaustive analysis of eight major topics—such as the current state of the building steel‑structure sector, the development of steel‑structure housing, the relationship between steel structures and the ecological environment, and the transformation and upgrading of steel‑structure enterprises—elaborating on their background, rationale, and feasibility, while also identifying issues that warrant further discussion.
The experts in attendance and the leaders of the province’s leading steel‑structure enterprises spoke enthusiastically after carefully listening. Luo Yaozhi, Vice Dean of the College of Civil Engineering at Zhejiang University, emphasized the importance of cultivating talent, enhancing technological content, optimizing structural designs, and avoiding systems that are excessively large, heavy, and resource‑intensive—advocating instead for high‑end, specialized, and refined development that prioritizes environmental protection and ecological sustainability. Pan Jinyan, Deputy Chief Engineer at the Zhejiang Provincial Academy of Building Science and Design, called for technological innovation and suggested using the journal “Zhejiang Architecture” as a platform for industry-wide collaboration. Corporate representatives attending the meeting—including Dong Feng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Steel Association; Liu Zhonghua, Vice President of Jingong Steel Structure; Lu Shou-nian, Chairman of Dexian Steel Structure; Zhao Yinhai, General Manager of Zhe’erjian Steel Structure; Wang Yunyun, Director of Huaxing Steel Structure; Ge Chonghua, President of Yingdu Bridge Steel Structure; Liu Herong, General Manager of Dazhong Steel Structure; and Chen Fang, Deputy Chief Engineer of Hangxiao Steel Structure—each voiced their views and offered constructive suggestions.
As a key component of Zhejiang Province’s 13th Five-Year Plan for steel structures, Chen Jian, Head of the Enterprise Management Department at Yuegong Steel Structure; Zheng Jianmin, Director at Dadi Steel Structure; Zuo Quansheng, Chief Engineer at Hengda Steel Structure; and Xia Pei, Chief Engineer at Southeast Space Frame, presented to the attendees the activity outlines of four working groups—covering the transformation and upgrading of steel‑structure enterprises, the development and research of overseas markets, information technology and “Internet Plus,” and the development and application of general contracting in construction.
The conference was a resounding success, thanks to the concerted efforts of the leaders of the China Construction Metal Association, as well as numerous entrepreneurs and experts. The ten strategic objectives are both inspiring and motivating, bolstering the confidence and resolve of steel‑structure enterprises and professionals. Meanwhile, the eight thematic topics are comprehensive and grounded in reality, sure to provide stronger guidance for the healthy development of the steel‑structure industry.
