AkzoNobel Breaks Ground on New Specialty Chemicals Plant in China

AkzoNobel’s Specialty Chemicals business recently broke ground on a new alkoxylation facility in Ningbo, China, bringing the company’s total investment in the strategic multi-site to more than €400 million.

As well as contributing to AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading surfactant producers in China, the new facility also creates a more sustainable footprint in the region and will enable the company to better serve its customers.

“Our investment in this new plant is further proof of our ongoing commitment to China, which is one of our most strategically important markets. The new facility also gives added momentum to our organic growth ambitions, as well as enabling us to continue expanding our manufacturing footprint in Asia,” said Werner Fuhrmann, executive committee member responsible for Specialty Chemicals.

“The new alkoxylation facility in Ningbo will allow us to better serve our customers in the region, which is one of our top priorities,” said Graeme Armstrong, managing director of AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry. “It also provides us with the opportunity to meet the increasing demands of the market while operating production locally, which will result in less need for transportation, shorter turnaround times and a lower carbon footprint.”

The Ningbo multi-site covers around 50 hectares and accommodates production for chelates, ethylene amines, ethylene oxide, organic peroxides and Bermocoll cellulose derivatives. Surface Chemistry’s latest investment will increase annual capacity by nearly 18,000 tons, mainly catering for domestic demand in China.

“Ningbo is one of the company’s most important production locations and this new investment means we can offer additional employment opportunities to the local market, while continuing to focus on organic growth, operational excellence and achieving leading performance,” added Lin Liangqi, president of AkzoNobel China.

As well as contributing to AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading surfactant producers in China, the new facility also creates a more sustainable footprint in the region. The added alkoxylation capacity (the process of reacting a fatty amine with ethylene oxide to make ethoxylated amines) will enable the company to better serve its customers in the agrochemical, oilfield and personal care markets.

AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry is a global leader in the manufacturing and supply of specialty surfactants, synthetic and bio-polymer additives and specialty polymers. AkzoNobel currently employs more than 7,400 people in China. Revenues in China totaled €1.7 billion in 2014.