AkzoNobel’s Specialty Chemicals business is planning a further expansion of its organic peroxides plant in Ningbo, China, during the next two years.

A project is already underway to boost capacity by 40%, and work is expected to be completed by mid-August. The Dutch group said it is now considering a larger scale expansion that would increase current capacity by 100% – actual figures were not supplied.

The site produces dicumyl peroxide (DCP), which is used as a crosslinking agent in the production of various polymers that have exceptional durability. These polymers are used in a variety of different products, including shoe soles, a market that AkzoNobel said has been growing in developing countries in particular.

DCP is also used in polymers for insulating high-voltage cables, which are in growing demand to upgrade electricity networks and connect offshore wind farms and other sources of renewable energy.

“Demand for our products is growing rapidly, and expanding our existing facilities provides a great opportunity to meet the needs of our global customers. This expansion will allow us to further grow in our market and solidify our position as the world’s number one producer of organic peroxides,” said Johan Landfors, managing director of AkzoNobel’s Polymer Chemistry business.

The group is currently building another organic peroxides plant in the Nangang Chemical Park in Tianjin, China, at a cost of €90 million. The facility, which is expected to be operational in late 2018, will add capacity for cold and ambient peroxides, thermoset peroxides and cross-linking peroxides to meet rising demand from Chinese customers.