Arkema to Expand Production of PVC Heat Stabilizer at Beijing Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Arkema, a global chemical player, recently announced that it will expand its heat-stabilizer capacity for ploy vinylchloride at its Beijing plant. In order to meet rising demands in construction and packaging markets, the production capacity of the tin-based heat stabilizer will be doubled to 12,000 tons per year. The plant will provide services for customers throughout Asia and support the company's position as a market leader in Asia. The expansion project is expected to be complete by the end of the first quarter of 2008. Upon completion, the plant will become the largest tin-based heat-stabilizer producer in Asia.

Organotin stabilizers are widely used in PVC applications: packaging materials such as PVC bottles and construction materials (window profiles, vinyl doors, vinyl flooring and pipe products). They impart color and thermal stability, as well as long-term weathering resistance.

According to Arkema's website, Arkema China started operating in China since 1984. Arkema China has about 700 employees. With a turnover of about $300 million, Arkema holds a leading market position in China. It has established six industrial sites in various parts of China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Changshu (eastern China's Jiangsu Province) and Kunming (southwestern China's Yunnan Province).

Arkema also aims to further pursue policies to improve safety and environmental protection by promoting industrial reliability through optimizing its industrial tools, reports say. A source with Arkema China says that the country serves as the focus for the company's further development plans and that it will quickly expand its business in China.

The Beijing 2008 Olympics will be a changing point in Arkema's development, as it will vie with other competitors, including Chinese chemical producers, facing increasing market demands.

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