Global coatings manufacturer Hempel (Lyngby, Denmark) celebrated a significant milestone in China by holding a groundbreaking ceremony for its new factory in Zhangjiagang.
With an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons, Hempel’s new factory at the Yangtze International Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang will be the company’s largest production site in the region. It will be inaugurated in 2022, replacing Hempel’s existing production facilities in Kunshan.
At 136,000 m2 in size, the new $170-million factory will produce high-solids, solvent-free, waterborne, and antifouling coatings. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site in late September, led by Michael Mei, group vice president for the North Asia region.
“China is a growing market for Hempel that will continue to grow in the coming years,” Mei says. “This is our second groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory in China in 2020 — a combined investment of $270 million that will significantly expand our total production capacity in China. I’m very proud to be part of a company that is so clearly committed to the region.”
Hempel also recently opened a new research and development (R&D) facility in Zhangjiagang, which gives the company a current network of 15 R&D centers across the globe. The new facility replaces its existing R&D hub in Kunshan and will be a hub for the development of sustainable coating solutions for customers in China.
“At Hempel, we have a very strong focus on sustainability,” Mei says. “We are investing in knowledge and technology so we can meet the ever-growing need for sustainable coating solutions. Our new R&D facility in Zhangjiagang gives us the opportunity to further develop innovative and sustainable solutions for customers in our region.”