ZHANGJIAGANG, China — Global coatings manufacturer Hempel celebrated a milestone in China when it held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory in Zhangjiagang.

With an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons, Hempel’s new factory in 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 a groundbreaking ceremony held at the site Michael Mei, Group Vice President of Hempel in North Asia, said, “China is a growing market for Hempel that will continue to grow in the coming years. This is our second groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory in China in 2020 – a combined investment of USD 270 million that will expand our total production capacity in China significantly. I’m very proud to be part of a company that is so clearly committed to the region.”

The day of the groundbreaking ceremony, Hempel also opened a new research and development (R&D) facility in Zhangjiagang. The company has a network of 15 R&D centers across the globe. The new facility replaces its existing R&D center in Kunshan and will be a hub for the development of sustainable coating solutions aimed at customers in China.

Mei commented, “At Hempel, we have a very strong focus on sustainability. We are investing in knowledge and technology so we can meet the ever-growing need for sustainable coating solutions. Our new R&D facility Zhangjiagang gives us the opportunity to further develop innovative and sustainable solutions for customers in our region.”