Finland’s Kemira is investing a multi-million euro sum to expand capacity for its alkyl succinic anhydride (ASA) sizing agents in Nanjing, China. The additional production is expected to be available from December 2017 onwards.

Total current capacity at the site in the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in Jiangsu province is around 100,000 t/y. Kemira did not reveal the size of the expansion but said output will increase “substantially” in order to strengthen further its leading market position.

Sizing agents are used for improving water resistance in mid- to high-end quality paper and packaging board. The Helsinki-based group said the Asian pulp and paper market is growing at around 3% per year, and even faster for consumer board, driven by rising living standards and the growth of online shopping. In addition, noted Kemira, there are new investments in printing and writing paper machines in China, India and the rest of Southeast Asia.

Nichlas Kavander, head of Kemira’s regional business unit, pulp & paper, Asia-Pacific, said it sees growth opportunities to provide cutting-edge ASA technology and replace older sizing technologies in the region. Hanspeter Enzmann, head of manufacturing in Asia-Pacific, added that Kemira is already preparing for the next-generation ASA technology to further increase performance and sustainability.