Clariant opens surfactants plant in China

Clariant says it has opened a 22,000 metric-ton-per-year surfactants plant in Zhenjiang, China, to meet the country’s growing demand for surfactants from various industries such as personal care, paints and coatings, as well as metalworking. The new plant is part of a US$100-million investment program that Clariant has made in China during the last 18 months, the company says. “Clariant’s operations in Greater China have grown substantially in recent years, with a high double-digit growth rate in some key segments such as personal care,” says Hariolf Kottmann, chief executive officer of Clariant. “This new facility will enable us to meet the needs of the growing Chinese and wider Asian markets, which have remained strong despite the global economic downturn,” he says. (September 17, 2009)