Degussa expands chemicals research base in China
13 Aug 2007
Degussa (China) Co. Ltd, one of the 20 chemicals companies operated by specialty chemical products giant Degussa in China, has expanded its R&D centre in Shanghai.
The new Centre has been put up at a total investment of over €22 million. As one of the largest R&D centres ever established by a multinational company in Shanghai, the new centre has a pilot facility for polymer engineering in a four-story building.
Degussa has been producing specialty chemical products in China since the early '90s from production sites in Anqiu, Changchun, Dalian, Jining, Liaoyang, Nanning, Nanping, Qingdao, Rizhao, Shanghai, Taiwan and Yingkou and last year generated sales of €460 million in China, an increase of 60 per cent from €288 million in 2005.
"From its research and development (R&D) centre in Shanghai, Degussa has enlarged the scope of its research and development work in China," said Dr. Alfred Oberholz, deputy chairman of the management board of Degussa GmbH, in the opening ceremony for the expanded R&D centre in Shanghai. "The expansion underscores the strengthened R&D activities and the continued commitment of Degussa in China."
The earlier R&D centre was inaugurated in April 2004. Degussa invested €12 million in the Shanghai R&D centre. The expansion provides, among other things, a regional hub for sales, marketing, technical services, R&D, and the service platform for customers in China and other countries in the Asia/Pacific region.
"With today's inauguration of the new R&D centre Shanghai, we're delivering on our promise to further enhance our presence in China in research and development. Our enlarged R&D centre will help us to strengthen the interface between Degussa's business units and customers, universities, and research institutes in China and provide customers with tailor-made solutions and our high quality products," said Dr. Dahai Yu, regional president of Degussa China.
"Our Centre will also be the principle site for our marketing and sales activities and the administrative functions of the Degussa China region. The expansion of our R&D centre marks yet another milestone for our 'make China happen' initiative, which aims to boost our sales in China to €800 million by 2009."
