Thanks to years of hard work and innovation in science and technology, Wei Tongxi, of the Yiyang Rubber & Plastics Machinery Group Co, Ltd had the title of "Senior Science and Technology Elite of Yiyang" bestowed on him recently.

The 71-year-old Wei graduated from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology and, for more than 40 years has devoted himself to large rubber machinery R&D. In 1997, after he retired, he was rehired by the company to lead a research project involving a double-cone twin-screw extruder, which was part of a national rubber mixing equipment project the company had taken on. After a series of product improvements, he had 11 types of double-cone twin-screw extruders, which helped fill an equipment gap in China and resulted in more than 200 million yuan in sales. One of these, the Model-700 twin-screw extruder, is the largest and technologically most advanced machine of its kind in the world.