Dutch chemical producer AkzoNobel has inaugurated two new specialty chemicals plants at its multi-site in Ningbo, China at an initial investment of €80 million and also announced plans to invest an additional €90 million in a new specialty chemicals plant in the Nangang Chemical Park at Tianjin, China.

The Ningbo plants are for the company’s Surface Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry businesses. The first, an alkoxylation facility, will produce surfactants for the agrochemical, cleaning, viscose and animal feed industries. The second, AkzoNobel’s largest organic peroxide unit, will supply producers of crosslinked rubber and underline the company’s claim to being one of the world's largest organic peroxides producers.

Construction on the Tianjan plant, which will replace an existing organic peroxide facility in the area, is planned to start by the end of this year, with start-up scheduled for late 2018.

In addition to offering more capacity, the chemical producer said the new peroxide plant will use state-of-the-art technology that meets stringent safety and environmental standards introduced by the Chinese government while also providing improved manufacturing and quality processes to customers.

Along with enhancing customer focus, the investments highlight AkzoNobel’s commitment to organic growth and to further strengthening its market positions in China, said CEO Werner Fuhrmann.

"Investing in state-of-art specialty chemicals facilities with a focus on sustainability is only natural as we continue our growth journey in China," said LIN Liangqi, President of AkzoNobel China. Zuyou Hu, director of the CMC in Ningbo Petrochemical District, said the new facilities will greatly enhance Ningbo Chemical Base's innovation capability and contribute to its development into one of China's strategic chemical production hubs.