The National Rare Earth Functional Materials Innovation Center (NRE-FMIC), operated by Guorui Tech Rare Earth Functional Materials Co., Ltd., has been awarded the prestigious title of "National Advanced Collective in Industry and Informatization System" at a national recognition ceremony held in Beijing on April 27. This marks the first such accolade since the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) initiated system-wide commendations, with NRE-FMIC standing out as the only national-level manufacturing innovation center among 33 peers to receive this honor.
Established in December 2019 and led by Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST) in collaboration with 16 industry leaders including China Northern Rare Earth and Jiangxi Copper Corporation, NRE-FMIC is China’s sole national innovation hub dedicated to rare earth functional materials. Officially endorsed by the National Manufacturing Power Strategy Leadership Group in 2020, the center focuses on bridging gaps in core technologies and accelerating the industrialization of rare earth innovations.
Since its inception, NRE-FMIC has built four specialized hubs for technology promotion, public services, talent development, and international collaboration, alongside 11 platforms spanning rare earth magnetic materials, optical materials, alloy technologies, and testing systems. In October 2023, it passed a comprehensive national evaluation, affirming its capabilities in R&D, pilot production, and commercialization of critical rare earth technologies.
The center has tackled over 30 key projects in high-tech sectors such as 5G communications, advanced rail transit, and renewable energy, securing 134 patents (48 granted, including 8 international) and contributing to 40 industry standards. Its breakthroughs, including high-strength copper foil for 5G and solid-state hydrogen storage systems, have achieved global leadership, earning nine major awards such as the Jiangxi Provincial Science and Technology Progress First Prize.
Moving forward, NRE-FMIC aims to leverage this recognition to drive innovation in emerging fields like high-end alloys, solid-state hydrogen storage, and digital transformation, further cementing its role in advancing China’s rare earth industry and fostering new quality productive forces.
