WAALWIJK, Holland - The grand-opening ceremony for the new $18 million manufacturing facility for Stahl Coatings and Fine Chemicals (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. took place on September 8, 2006, immediately following the All China Leather Fair, in the presence of an audience of over 500 invited guests from China and Southeast Asia. As required for any new company setting up in China, speeches were followed by three Chinese cultural ceremonies.

Stahl plans to produce some 17,000 tons of products per year from the new plant, initially including acrylics, pigments and lacquer emulsions for the leather and shoe industries, and surface coatings for the flexible-substrate industry.