The “Resonance” Between Niumag Analytical and Low-Field NMR Technology

In the scientific instrumentation industry, there is a company that has been quietly cultivating, refining, and innovating in the field of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for 15 years. From its early days as Shanghai Niumag Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. to the present Suzhou Niumag Analytical Instrument Co., Ltd., the company has grown hand-in-hand with the progress of low-field NMR technology — truly achieving a state of “resonance.”

A few landmark milestones in recent years clearly show the company’s impact: In 2013, Niumag was awarded a National Major Scientific Instrument Project focused on high-performance NMR relaxometry. In 2016, the company was approved to be listed on China’s NEEQ (“New Third Board”). That same year, it was selected as one of the most promising analytical instrument companies in the industry. In 2017, Chairman Yang Peiqiang was named an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Talent under the Ministry of Science and Technology’s talent advancement program.

So what exactly has Niumag achieved over the past 15 years? What is its current development status, and what lies ahead? To answer these questions, Instrument.com.cn sat down with Mr. Yang Peiqiang, Chairman of Suzhou Niumag Analytical Instrument Co., Ltd., for an exclusive interview.

Mr. Yang Peiqiang, Chairman of Suzhou Niumag Analytical Instrument Co., Ltd.

Major Project Milestones & Bright Prospects in Industrial NMR

 

Niumag took on a National Major Scientific Instrument Project in 2013: “The Development and Application of High-Performance NMR Relaxometry Analyzer.” The project, now in its final stages, is set for official completion and acceptance by October this year.

Mr. Yang shared: “Over five years, the project focused on two core objectives: weak signal detection and rapid relaxation signal acquisition. We made significant strides not just in technological development but also in commercialization. It gave us a huge boost — strengthening our core capabilities and enabling the launch of a series of new industrial NMR products.”

Beyond commercial releases, the project yielded over 60 custom-designed solutions — unique prototypes now considered the crystallization of this initiative. Solid fat analyzers, fibre oil content analyzers, nano-porosity analyzers, crosslink density systems… Mr. Yang proudly explained the technical breakthroughs behind each one.

“Take the PQ001 fibre oil analyzer, for instance. We spent 10 years moving from indirect to direct detection. It’s fast, simple, and requires no weighing. It not only broadened the market for low-field NMR but also solved a long-standing industrial need for consistency in analytical instrumentation.” In 2017, the system earned the “Excellent New Product” award and shipped 30 units. In 2018, sales were expected to double.

Industrial NMR represents a major expansion opportunity. Mr. Yang noted that this segment is significantly larger than the research market. “We decided at the very beginning that we’d enter the industrial space,” he said. “After more than a decade, we’re finally seeing that goal take root. Going forward, Niumag will balance our scientific instruments with industrial-grade systems — with industrial NMR as a key strategic focus.”

He added: “Just like MRI reshaped medical diagnostics, low-field NMR will play a transformative role in food, agriculture, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, new materials, and georesources.”

Despite the technology’s massive potential, broader adoption in China is still limited. Mr. Yang emphasized that establishing standardized methods remains a critical task in market promotion. “But as long as we stay focused and carry forward our original entrepreneurial mindset, there’s no doubt that low-field NMR will flourish and unlock a brilliant new market.”

The project also positively impacted the company’s internal growth — from talent development to R&D and quality control systems. “The signal detection advances, in particular, were very helpful for mechanism research. And the project gave us a structure to mature our teams and improve our conversion of research into results.”

Diversified Layout with a Unified Goal

 

In recent years, Niumag has launched several subsidiaries — including Tainiu Testing (third-party testing), Tainiu Education (STEM/Innovation education), and NewTitan Measurement & Control (core component R&D). As Mr. Yang explained: “All of these efforts serve a single purpose — to drive Niumag’s sustainable growth.”

Tainiu Testing focuses on transforming custom-developed test methods into recognized industry standards. It provides services to help validate NMR use cases and promote market acceptance. Niumag’s 7-parameter core plug test method has already been certified by CNAS.

Tainiu Education aims to build a continuous innovation awareness platform — from kindergarten to university. Noting a shortage of creativity in recruitment, Mr. Yang explained: “Tainiu hopes to inspire innovation using low-field NMR as a tool. We’re exploring a sustainable business model that bridges education and real-world discovery.”

NewTitan Measurement & Control — a Niumag-invested company — will focus on developing smart components, including robotic arms and automated control systems. “Although not our core business, these tools enhance automated testing workflows. That’s why we’ve partnered with likeminded innovators to form NewTitan — it complements our core offering in a big way.”

In addition, Niumag’s postdoctoral program was upgraded to national level in 2017 — a rare honor in the industry. Mr. Yang said: “This shows how much we value talent. We hope the postdoc program becomes a pipeline to retain and grow future leaders.” Because most partners are universities and institutes, the program has strong recruiting advantages. In fact, many postdocs joined because they had previously used Niumag systems in their own labs.

“It’s a win–win,” he added. “Postdocs contribute to new tech and applications. And for them, it’s the launchpad to a fulfilling scientific career.” To date, two of Niumag’s postdocs have been selected for Jiangsu Province’s Double Innovation Talent Plan.

Devoted to One Thing for a Lifetime

 

Throughout the interview, Mr. Yang repeatedly stressed the importance of confidence and perseverance:

“We succeeded because we chose a niche market — with real growth potential — and stayed laser-focused on it. We invested everything: people, time, capital. We endured setbacks, but we never changed direction. We worked closely with customers, delivered value, and built trust through service. That’s how the Niumag brand came to be associated with low-field NMR innovation, entrepreneurship, integrity, and our corporate values: professionalism, focus, agility, and persistence.”

Today, Mr. Yang has stepped back from day-to-day operations to focus on strategy. “We’re at a stage where we need to accelerate. So I’ve handed over management to professionals,” he said.

“Our new focus is building an ecosystem: Ecosystem Niumag. Digital Niumag. Connected Niumag. We’re branching into testing services, education, and automation. And we’re going global — we’ve launched a North America subsidiary and are expanding through distributors in Europe and the Middle East.”

Despite challenges, Mr. Yang remains optimistic: “I’m committed to doing one thing — for 50 years. As long as we’re solving real problems for society, this business will thrive. That’s our foundation.”

Postscript

 

Before the interview, I had met Mr. Yang several times. As someone with a technical background, he left the impression of being more of a scholar than a businessman. But in this conversation, he showed us his entrepreneurial side — driven, confident, and passionate.

Even though he’s now delegated operations to others, he remains deeply involved in Tainiu Testing, Tainiu Education, and NewTitan’s foundational work. He admitted that he enjoys exploring the unknown and solving problems from scratch. Repetitive work doesn’t excite him — creation does.

From founding the company to launching spin-offs, Mr. Yang has stayed true to his philosophy: Devote your life to one thing. Do it for 50 years. And with that spirit guiding Niumag, it’s easy to believe they’ll one day achieve their billion-RMB goal.

Source: Instrument.com.cn
Original article: http://www.instrument.com.cn/news/20180628/466646.shtml