Increasing pace of development in Asia

The economic environment of the global chemical sector has thoroughly changed in recent years. The markets have become more international, and new players have appeared in emerging countries, particularly in Asia where Arkema already has a strong base, essentially in China, but also in India, Singapore, Korea and Japan.

In 2007 Asia accounted for 13 % of Arkema’s sales and 8 % of its personnel, solid bases indeed from which the Company can look to significantly boost its presence and its sales in years to come.

Arkema’s ambition is to raise to 20% the share of its sales in Asia by 2012. To achieve this, Arkema will be speeding up the pace of its development in Asia, and so plans to invest some € 50 M every year in this region of the world.
In terms of investments in Asia, 2007 was marked in particular by the doubling of hydrogen peroxide production capacity on the Shanghai site (China).

Further development projects have also been announced, including the creation of two joint ventures with the Daikin group, in particular for HFC 125 production on the Changshu site in China, the setting-up of a new PVDF plant also on this site, and the doubling of capacity for PVC heat stabilizers in Peking.

With its Kyoto Research Center in Japan, Arkema has its own local R&D facility to assist with its growth on the Asian continent. The gradual introduction of local technical expertise in China and the development of new applications such as Altuglas® LCD screens, the CVD technology for sheet glass, and Pebax® in the sports sector, all bear testimony to the inroads made by our products and our brands in this region of the world.