Akzo Nobel upgrades Chinese site
A newly updated and automated production line is up and running at Akzo Nobel’s Suzhou site in China, part of a €14 million investment designed to accelerate growth and double the plant’s capacity for marine and protective coatings by 2025.
The recent upgrade – which will already boost daily capacity by more than 40% – is scheduled to be followed by updates to three additional lines, which will result in the doubling of overall capacity before the end of next year. There’s growing demand for marine and protective coatings in China as it leads the global shipbuilding market. This demand includes a particular focus on high-performance antifoulings and wind power solutions and is being met by the company’s International, Intersleek, Relest and Chartek products.
The recently completed work involved according to the company enhancing the automation of existing waste gas treatment, filling and grinding systems. Other planned site improvements include accelerating Suzhou’s transition to using 100% renewable electricity by 2025, which should contribute to the company’s ambition of halving carbon emissions across the full value chain by 2030. Located in eastern China, the Suzhou facility has been a pivotal hub for supplying marine and protective coatings since 2008. Recent projects that have been supplied with Akzo Nobel’s products include China’s biggest wind farm and the country’s first domestically built large cruise ship.
