Akzo Nobel lays cornerstone for new specialty chemicals complex
Akzo Nobel, headquartered in Amsterdam/the Netherlands, has recently laid the cornerstone for a new alkoxylation facility at its existing site in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. The integrated chemical complex covers 50 hectares and contains units for the production of e.g. chelates, ethylene amines, ethylene oxide, organic peroxides and cellulose derivatives. According to Akzo Nobel, the company has already invested over 400 million € at its Nigbo site. Surface Chemistry’s latest investment will increase annual capacity by nearly 18 000 t, 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”, says 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.
