Belgian chemicals group Solvay has opened a vanillin production plant in China to meet demand in the fast-growing Asian market. The facility in Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu province, boosts Solvay’s global capacity for vanillin by 40%. Actual plant capacity figures were not disclosed. Solvay Aroma Performance is the world’s largest producer of the flavor ingredient, with plants in Saint-Fons, France, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

The company said the new unit, which has been operating since July this year, allows it to offer a fully integrated vanillin platform across three continents, from the raw material catechol to end products such as Rhovanil.