Evonik Industries will begin construction of production plants for the manufacture of isophorone and isophorone diamine in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP), China. The group is investing more than €100 million in the plants, which are scheduled to come on stream in the first quarter of 2014, after completion of a roughly two-year construction phase.

The groundbreaking will be a milestone for Evonik. “This integrated production platform shall reinforce our presence in an important market and enable us to supply the growing needs of our customers in China and the entire Asia Pacific region,” said Dahai Yu, member of the executive board of Evonik Industries. “This investment shall also consolidate our position as a worldwide leading manufacturer of the isophorone chemistry.”

Products from the new facilities will primarily serve markets in China and Asia Pacific, with an annual capacity of 50kt.  In addition Evonik is installing a new Technical Service Center at its Xinzhuang site in Shanghai. The facility will include laboratories for applied technology with aims to develop isophorone product applications and provide technology service for customers throughout in the region.

Isophorone and isophorone diamine, isophorone diisocyanate and their derivatives are important components for the production of industrial flooring, artificial leather and paints and coatings. They are also used in the growth area of high-performance composite materials, e.g. for wind turbines, and in chemical synthesis.

Evonik currently manufactures iso­phorone chemistry products in Herne and Marl, Germany; Antwertp, Belgium; and Mobile, Alabama. The group distributes products of the isophorone chemistry worldwide under the trademarks of Vestamin, Vestanat, Vestagon and Vestasol.