Specialty chemical MNC bullish on biz prospects in Chinese market

Clariant AG, a Swiss multinational specialty chemicals company, vows to further strengthen its position in China and expand its care chemicals facility in the country, including pharmaceutical, personal care, home care and industrial applications, said top company official.

"With China's improved COVID-19 response exerting a major positive influence on the economy, we believe demand for healthcare businesses in China will further increase and Clariant will grasp its share of the Chinese market," said Andy Walti, head of Clariant China and the Asia-Pacific.

Clariant announced earlier this month it would expand its care chemicals facility in Daya Bay, Guangdong province, at its existing Daya Bay manufacturing site. It will become a new global hub for Clariant's healthcare business support and see capacity increases for existing products as well as the introduction of a range of new products by the end of 2024.

"With this investment, Clariant shows its long-term commitment to China, the world's largest chemicals market overall, and will increase its focus on customer experience, innovation drive and footprint enlargement," Walti said.

According to Walti, China is one of the regions that witnessed the most rapid growth worldwide for Clariant. With the boom of the electrical and electronic equipment industry in China, Clariant expects the Chinese market will represent 14 percent of Clariant's sales worldwide in 2025 from 10 percent in 2020.

An analyst said Clariant's commitment confirms China's massive potential in the petrochemical sector, which has also been attracting more international players in recent years.

China, with its scale and development pace having no other match worldwide, remains very attractive for international investment in the petrochemical sector, said Luo Zuoxian, head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute.

The Chinese market's growing size has been encouraging multinational players to continue investing in the country for long-term success, he said.

According to Zhou Jinguo, general manager of JVs China, Clariant's additives unit, the company has announced some major projects and investments in Daya Bay in recent years, which illustrates the company's confidence in the region.

The Daya Bay region is one of China's top chemical parks with an advanced geographical location and infrastructure, as well as superior industrial supporting conditions and a high degree of development. "To build our park in Daya Bay is a decision we made after a comprehensive review of a number of investment candidates around the world," Zhou said.

"Clariant made its presence in Daya Bay as early as 2009 with our first ethoxylation plant in Asia. This underlines our commitment to bringing greater chemistry to the region to support our customers' success," he said.