[Reprinted from China Polyurea Technology Network News 2015-05-15] Mr. Yu Zhaonian, known as "Samaranch in China's Paint Industry", died at 22:30 pm on May 14, 2015 at the age of 94.
Mr. Yu Zhaonian, born in June 1922, is a senior engineer from Zhenhai, Zhejiang Province (now Ningbo). He graduated from the Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Jiaotong University in 1945 and entered the paint industry in 1946. He was an engineer in Yonggu Paint Factory until he retired in 1997 (75 years old). Since 1957, he has been an engineer of Shanghai Chemical Research Institute, an engineer of Shanghai Dye and Coatings Research Institute, a director of Shanghai Coatings Research Institute, and a Deputy Engineer and senior engineer of Shanghai Coatings Company. Hammer paint, urea-formaldehyde resin paint, polyester enameled wire paint, polyurethane paint and other paint have been successfully manufactured. He has witnessed the whole process of the development of China's modern paint industry and is a well-known paint expert, scholar and mentor at home and abroad. Editor-in-chief is "Paint Technology" (Volume 2), and "Anticorrosive Coatings and Painting" and other works.
Mr. Yu is proficient in English and knows Japanese, German and Russian. He has been the editor-in-chief of Shanghai Paint and has written books and published Anti-Corrosion Paints and Painting, Paint Technology (Volume 2). He has revised Paint Flow and Pigment Dispersion, Paint Formulation, Principle and Practice, Introduction to Paint Chemistry, Special Paints and Powder Painting. Applications, Organic Coatings Science and Technology and other books, but also often for the relevant conferences, collections, magazines to write articles. With the eyes of a paint expert and scholar, he pays close attention to the development trend of the international paint industry and the revitalization of China's National Paint industry.
Yu Lao also served as a social worker. He was the 8th People's Representative of Shanghai, vice-chairman and consultant of China Coatings Association, vice-chairman of Seawater Branch of China Corrosion and Protection Society, vice-chairman of Electrical Materials Group of Shanghai Electrical Engineering Society and part-time professor of Shanghai University of Science and Technology.
Yu Lao attended the 10th Anniversary of the Birth of Polyurea Technology in China and the Award Ceremony of "Top Ten Chinese Polyurea Medal" at Shanghai Paint Research Institute on September 2, 2008, and presented the awards for the Top Ten Chinese Polyurea Medal (see http://www.polyurea.cn/News/2008/news080902.htm for details). At that time, Yu Lao was 87 years old, holding Huang microwave. Professor's hand, excitedly said: "I have been engaged in paint work for more than 60 years. Among the many paint varieties in our country, only polyurea technology keeps pace with the international advanced level, and has been applied more widely than abroad, which is worthy of vigorous promotion."
Mr. Yu Zhaonian, together with Mr. Chen Shijie, has been praised as "Nanyu Beichen" by the paint industry, and won the "Lifelong Achievement Award of China Paint Industry" awarded by Huicong Paint Network in 2007. Nanyu's urea-formaldehyde resin and hammer paint dominate Shanghai, and Beichen's pentaerythritol is used in alkyd, and plans to build Yongxin (Northwest). As the founder and pioneer of China's paint industry, it can be said that they have made indelible contributions to the development of China's paint industry. According to relevant data, Mr. Chen Shijie died on December 24, 2009, aged 92.
Mr. Yu Zhaonian's death is a great loss for the paint industry in China, and also marks the end of the era of "Nanyu Beichen" in the paint industry. However, their spirit will always infect future generations, encourage successors of the paint industry to innovate and study continuously, and realize Mr. Yu Zhaonian's long-cherished wish that "China is only a big paint country at present, but not a strong paint country, so we need to innovate" and make greater contributions to the development of China's paint industry.
