Degussa to build MMA plant in Shanghai

Germany’s Degussa AG plans to spend around 250 million euro  (US$327 million) to construct an integrated manufacturing facility in Shanghai, for the production of methyl methacrylate and methacrylate specialties, the company announced in December. The company will begin construction of the 100,000-metric-tons-per-year MMA unit upon regulatory approvals by the Chinese authorities. The complex is expected to be on stream in 2009. The company recognizes China as a key growth area and intends to increase its business in the country by investing about Є800 million (US$1 billion) in the next three years. In the first nine months of 2006, the company’s sales in China rose by more than 50% versus the same period in 2005. (Dec. 5, 2006)