Institute of Plastic Processing and Application of Light Industry was formerly the Plastic Processing Center established upon the support from United Nations Development Program (UNDP). In December 1983, Ministry of Science and Technology of China authorized the establishment of Institute, affiliated to former Ministry of Light Industry, China Light Industry Council, and State Bureau of Light Industry. With the reform of science, technology and education, the Sate Council decided the incorporation of the institute of Beijing Technology and Business University. Based on the institute, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering was established which adopts a mode of combination of Department and Institute with a characteristic of consolidation of Production, Teaching and Researching.
On January 19, 2011, during the transformation of college and departments of Beijing Technology and Business University, Institute of Plastic Processing and Application of Light Industry was incorporated into newly established School of Materials and Mechanical Engineering. The Institute, as a subunit of the School has such responsibilities and activities as construction of discipline and major, students training, research and development aiming at national plastic processing industry’s common interests, drafting and revision of national and/or sector standards of plastic productions, quality supervision and test of plastic productions, collection and analysis of scientific information and services for its sector and many more.
Institute of Plastic Processing and Application of Light Industry currently has 48 faculty members. Of them, 10 are professors and associated professors; 10 are senior researchers. Under the Institute are China National Center for Quality Supervision and Test of Plastic Products, National Technical Committee on Plastic Products, National Technical Committee on Biobased Materials and Degradable Products, National Model Platform of Public Service for Middle and Small-scaled Enterprises, National Educational Training Base for Plastic Industry, National Information Center for Plastic Processing Industry, journal editorial office “China Plastics”, Technical Center for Environmentally-friendly polymers of China Plastic Processing Industry Association and Beijing Technology and Business University, R&D Center, Pilot Plant and etc.
