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According to Sinochem New Network, “Technological progress is the engine driving the development of the soda ash industry, while innovation is the primary force that propels its growth.” ”On November 13, at the 2025 Soda Ash Technology Annual Conference held in Wuxi, Jiangsu, Ding Chaoran, president of the China Soda Ash Industry Association, said that in the face of issues such as an oversupply, fluctuations in raw material prices, and intensifying market competition, the soda ash industry needs to take technological innovation as its core driving force, develop and promote specialized and environmentally friendly technologies and equipment, in order to meet the demands of industry upgrading. At the meeting, various experts shared their achievements regarding new technologies, new processes, new equipment, and new concepts in the soda ash industry, and discussed the latest solutions for driving industrial upgrading through technological innovation. Currently, the soda ash industry typically uses the fluidized bed dry-alkali process for soda production; this method features a short operation cycle, high energy consumption, large amounts of exhaust gas, and difficulties in handling those emissions. In response to this, Wang Qingzong, General Manager of Chengdu Tianbao Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Engineering Co., Ltd., presented a solution involving the use of rotary dry ammonium furnaces in place of fluidized bed furnaces. This approach reduces the electricity and steam consumption per unit of product, decreases the amount of exhaust gas that needs to be treated, and results in a significant improvement in thermal efficiency. Intelligent and automated solutions also became a highlight of this conference. Ru Yuenian, sales director at Chaos Intelligent Equipment Technology Co., Ltd., said that the intelligent loading system for soda ash developed by his company can be applied in various scenarios such as small-bag packaging, automatic loading of tons bags or entire vehicles, as well as in warehousing and logistics operations, thereby significantly improving efficiency and safety. Gao Hongsheng, Director of Solutions at Hangzhou HollySys Automation Co., Ltd., introduced various automated solutions developed independently, such as an intelligent and precise dosing system that can help reduce production costs, minimize chemical consumption, and lower safety risks ； An evaporation crystallization optimization control system that employs advanced control strategies to enhance device stability and enables dynamic temperature adjustment ； It features an intelligent automatic tower switching system that can automatically complete valve switching, mother liquor circulation, and control of the alkali output range, all with just one click. Regarding the cooling of soda ash, Cheng Desheng, marketing director of Hanning (Suzhou) Energy Saving Technology Co., Ltd., explained that the intelligent cooling system for soda ash designed by the company features functions such as automatic emptying and cleaning, intelligent monitoring, and energy consumption optimization. It enables equipment integration, simplified operation, intelligent data handling, and diversified terminal options. Zhang Houqing, director and deputy general manager of Solex’s China service center, introduced Solex’s cooling technology, which enables the uniform cooling or heating of product particles, as well as heat exchange for cooling materials. To address the challenges associated with the renovation of carbonation towers in industrial soda ash production facilities, Shandong Haitian Biochemical Co., Ltd. has developed a new type of sieve-plate carbonation tower. This equipment features strong corrosion resistance, high volume utilization efficiency, excellent mass transfer performance, and low weight; it enables a significant improvement in mass transfer efficiency, accelerates the carbonation reaction, increases production capacity, and enhances product quality. “We need to focus on the key common technical challenges in the industry, increase investment in research and development, accelerate the transformation of achievements, and work together to push the soda ash industry toward higher standards, greater intelligence, and greener practices. ”Dou Jinliang, secretary-general of the Soda Ash Association, made this appeal at the conference.