Lines 4 and 5 fully launched: Eastman Dalian plant’s production capacity upgraded in alignment with global standards

This upgrade not only highlights Eastman’s outstanding manufacturing capabilities but also fosters synergistic development across upstream and downstream industries, creates more employment opportunities, and drives sustainable local economic growth. By delivering high-quality export products, it further enhances Eastman’s global market influence. Notably, during the launch ceremony, Eastman simultaneously unveiled its advanced industrial standards system—further underscoring its commitment to product quality. This comprehensive quality control framework ensures consistency and traceability across all global production sites. Its core elements include: ・End-to-end control: Digital tracking and management across the entire process—from raw materials to finished goods ・Standards exceeding national requirements: Adoption of globally leading benchmarks to guarantee exceptional product quality ・Sustainability at the core: Commitment to eco-friendly production and establishment of a sustainable production system based on resource recycling ・Long-term validation: Rigorous environmental testing to ensure long-term product reliability ・Micro-precision manufacturing: Exquisitely precise control throughout the production process ・Intelligent assurance: Smart, automated quality assurance systems ・Zero-tolerance principle: Zero tolerance for quality deviations—ensuring uncompromising quality Meanwhile, Eastman has forged close collaboration with China National Building Materials Testing & Certification Group (CNBMTC), a leading authority in automotive glass and functional film testing and certification in China. At this ceremony, CNBMTC announced its newly issued standard, “Methods for Testing and Evaluating Optical and Thermal Performance of Automotive Glass,” demonstrating its leadership in advancing domestic and international industry standardization. Equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, CNBMTC’s professional certification system provides robust support for industry regulation and consumer confidence. Eastman remains steadfastly committed to actively promoting standardization initiatives, supporting industry regulation and sustainable development. The Dalian plant serves as a key pilot site for Eastman’s “Next-Generation Manufacturing” philosophy—featuring advanced equipment and stringent operational standards, with emphasis on cleanliness, micro-precision, environmental sustainability, and talent development. The campus boasts a green coverage rate exceeding 40%, earning it the reputation of a “breathing eco-factory.” It is also equipped with a visualized management system enabling intelligent monitoring of safety, equipment status, environmental indicators, and risk warnings—ensuring high-quality, high-safety production standards while significantly enhancing employees’ work and life experience on-site, reflecting Eastman’s corporate culture centered on green practices and human-centric values. Following the ceremony, Brad Lich, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Eastman, stated in an interview: “Eastman is consistently at the forefront of innovation. The Chinese market lies at the heart of Eastman’s business strategy—driving sustainable growth and delivering enduring value to customers and society.” All Eastman innovations are grounded in sustainability—aiming to improve quality of life and address challenges related to energy, climate change, and population growth. Today, we proudly operate the world’s largest chemical recycling facility, which transforms waste plastic into high-quality products suitable for food-grade, medical-grade, and numerous other applications—capable of processing plastic equivalent to 11 billion water bottles. If measured in water bottles, this means removing 11 billion bottles from the environment and converting them into new products. The recycled materials are then reintegrated into circular use—reappearing as water bottles, household appliances, and many other types of plastic products and films. Gulferaz Ali, Vice President and Managing Director of Eastman Asia Pacific, added in his interview: “In 2024, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 25% of Eastman’s global business, with China contributing 11%—an indispensable engine of growth.”

Observations and reflections on human resource development at large chemical enterprises

In recent years, as the chemical industry accelerates its transformation toward high-end, green, and digital development, talent has become a critical bottleneck constraining enterprise growth. From traditional refining and petrochemicals to advanced chemical materials, and from state-owned enterprises to private industry leaders—and even multinational corporations expanding their operations in China—the investment and exploration undertaken by major chemical enterprises in human resources both reflect the sector’s current developmental stage and expose several common challenges. This article takes Wanhua Chemical, NHU (New Huacheng), Sinopec, PetroChina, Hengli Petrochemical, Rongsheng Petrochemical, and BASF as representative case studies. It reviews and analyzes their human resource practices and offers several reflective insights. I. Human Resource Practices at Representative Large Chemical Enterprises (A) Wanhua Chemical: High激励 and Strong Safeguards Supporting a “Technology-Driven Enterprise” Strategy As a global leader in polyurethanes, Wanhua Chemical’s HR policies closely align with its “technology-driven enterprise” development path. On campus recruitment, according to its publicly disclosed compensation packages for university graduates, annual pre-tax total compensation for R&D engineers reaches over RMB 450,000 for PhDs and over RMB 260,000 for master’s degree holders; assistant operations engineers earn approximately RMB 227,000 (master’s) and RMB 185,000 (bachelor’s). Additional benefits include long-term incentives for key personnel, interest-free housing loans up to RMB 200,000, full salary during probationary periods, and comprehensive welfare—including seven insurances and one fund, free shuttle buses, and accommodation. Regarding executive compensation, per the company’s April 2026 disclosure on senior management remuneration, executives receive annual salaries comprising base pay, performance bonuses, and other allowances—with performance bonuses constituting no less than 50% of total compensation and directly tied to both corporate operating performance and individual job effectiveness. According to a calculation by Stockstar based on Wanhua Chemical’s 2025 annual report, average employee compensation stood at approximately RMB 373,500—a 22.68% year-on-year increase. Clearly, Wanhua Chemical has established a “high-compensation + strong safeguards + long-term incentives” integrated strategy. Its competitive pay package underpins R&D team building, yielding tangible results in continuous breakthroughs in core technologies and stability of key technical personnel. (B) NHU (New Huacheng): Cultivating Talent through Corporate Culture and Shared Benefits—Building a “Teacher Culture” NHU exhibits a distinctive cultural imprint in its human resource development. The company has long championed its “Teacher Culture”—emphasizing that “the wise and the capable serve as teachers; humility defines personal conduct; meticulousness guides education.” It regards talent as its most vital asset and prioritizes educating, nurturing, and developing people. In terms of incentives, according to information published on NHU’s official website, its compensation system comprises base salary, basic annual salary, performance bonuses, rewards for exceeding term targets, year-end efficiency bonuses, special awards, and business commissions. Equity incentives are implemented for core talent. Adhering to its “rewarding contributors first” pay philosophy, NHU announced another share repurchase plan—valued between RMB 300 million and RMB 600 million—in June 2026, specifically earmarked for equity incentive programs or employee stock ownership plans—further aligning employee interests with corporate development. Its ESG report also reveals that NHU has established a position-value-based compensation system, implements equal pay for equal work, and benchmarks its compensation levels against market standards. Overall, NHU pursues a path combining “cultural identification + shared benefits,” cultivating distinctive strengths in stabilizing core teams and reducing turnover among key talent. (C) Sinopec and PetroChina: Balancing Large-Scale Employment with Social Responsibility for Stable Employment As backbone state-owned enterprises, these two petroleum and petrochemical conglomerates exhibit distinctive characteristics in HR management.

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