Protective coatings supplier Hempel opened a new manufacturing facility in Guangzhou, China that includes a new research and development center, which is the third largest R&D facility within the Hempel Group. With 56,000 square meters of space, Hempel’s newest and largest factory, located in Guangzhou, China, is expected to produce more than 42 million liters of coatings per year, with a maximum production capacity of 55 million liters. The Guangzhou factory replaces Hempel’s oldest Chinese factory in Shekou, China, and employees have now moved to the new location. As part of Hempel’s environmental commitment, the factory uses the latest technology to recover materials and reduce the plant’s carbon footprint. This includes an automatic batching system to reduce dust emissions and minimize the manual handling of powders and a recovery system to recycle solvents for future use. In addition to an air incineration unit, an active carbon filtration system, sealed surfaces and fire water collection systems, the factory produces no industrial waste water. Located in the Yonghe Zone of the Guangzhou Economic & Technology Development District about 100 kilometers north of Hong Kong, Hempel’s Guangzhou factory was completed in 14 months at a cost of approximately €22.5 million.