Approved in March 1996 by the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Engineering Research Center of Papermaking and Pollution Control (the Center) is the sole national engineering research center in China's papermaking industry and is hosted by South China University of Technology (SCUT).

Guided by national strategies and critical needs, the Center focuses on advanced paper-based materials. Its mission is twofold: to achieve import substitution and drive pioneering innovation in high-end materials, and to make breakthroughs in core paper-based materials for major national projects and equipment. This work provides crucial support for China's scientific and technological self-reliance in this strategic field.

Addressing the critical reality of China's high dependence on softwood pulp from Europe and the United States, the Center is seizing the historic opportunity to replace plastics with paper, aiming to make significant contributions to global sustainable development.

The Center is home to a research staff of 200, including:

• 1 Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering;

• 1 Member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA);

• 1 Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Engineering;

• 3 Recipients of the State Council Special Allowance;

• 1 Young Scholar of Changjiang (Yangtze River) Scholars Program (Ministry of Education);

• 4 Talents from the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University;

• 6 Recipients of the Overseas High-Level Talent Recruitment Program (Young Thousand Talents Program);

• 2 Leading Talents in Scientific and Technological Innovation under the National Ten Thousand Talents Program.

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With instrument and equipment assets exceeding 300 million RMB and a laboratory area of over 30,000 square meters, the Center has established the world's most advanced platform for engineering pilot-scale process development and material application technology research.

The Center's experimental facilities are open to the global community, allowing users to schedule appointments for engineering experiments and material testing.

Leveraging SCUT's multidisciplinary strengths and traditional engineering advantages, the Center aligns closely with national strategic needs and key common industry technologies.

Supported by SCUT, it has established a new four-party collaborative framework by joining forces with China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, CRRC Zhuzhou Times New Material Technology Co., Ltd., and HMEI Machinery and Engineering Co., Ltd.(CNBM).

A cornerstone of the Center's strategy is to form joint laboratories with leading global and domestic enterprises, premier research institutions, and universities. Through these partnerships, it conducts integrated research on core technologies, supports global strategic emerging industries, and contributes to sustainable development.