NorthGlass Chairman Gao Xueming Receives Wallpaper “Outstanding Person of the Year” Award

On November 2, 2025, the 5th Wallpaper* Chinese Edition Design Awards were announced at Shenzhen Bay Culture Square. With this year’s theme, “The Non-Standard Era,” the awards introduced a new category—Outstanding Person of the Year—for the first time. Mr. Gao Xueming, founder and Chairman of NorthGlass, was jointly awarded this honor together with Mr. Wang Tao, founder of DJI, in recognition of their innovative vision and transformative impact on their industries.

Launched in 2021, the Wallpaper* Chinese Edition Design Awards evaluate entries through the lens of “Happening in China, Developing in China, Thinking in China.” Judging criteria include social value, innovation, future potential, and public influence, spanning architecture, design, art, and fashion. The international jury features renowned figures such as Pritzker Prize laureates, Oscar winners, and leading global curators—positioning the awards among the most respected in the design world.

Mr. Gao, who founded Luoyang North Glass Technology Co., Ltd. in 1995, has been instrumental in advancing China’s glass deep-processing technology. Under his leadership, NorthGlass developed the country’s first horizontal roller-type glass bending and tempering furnace, breaking foreign monopolies. In 2004, the company introduced a new generation of “flat and distortion-free” tempering units, supplying key glass components for landmark projects including the National Centre for the Performing Arts and Olympic venues. Today, NorthGlass holds more than 400 patents.

Marketing Director Mr. Li Chunchao attended the ceremony on behalf of Mr. Gao and delivered a speech reflecting on the company’s three decades of growth:
“In the first decade, we established standards from scratch; in the second, we moved from standards to ‘non-standard’; and now, in our third decade, NorthGlass is expanding globally and exploring new possibilities within the ‘non-standard’ landscape.”

Aligned with the award’s theme, “The Non-Standard Era,” NorthGlass continues to embrace experimentation, uniqueness, and innovation. From breaking technological monopolies to setting and surpassing industry standards, the company’s journey demonstrates that true innovation is built on respect for standards and fueled by the courage to explore beyond them.