DSM NV, a Netherlands-based chemical manufacturing group, announced its first China sizing plant yesterday. The new plant is located in Fengxian District of Shanghai. It will produce a wide range of sizings under the trade name of Neoxil?to meet growing demand in Asia.
Sizing is applied to glass filaments and can protect glass fibers from breaking or abrasion, ensure its compatibility with the resin matrix as well as promote desired properties such as strength, processing, color etc. Glass fiber reinforced parts are used to replace metal in automotive and electronics industries due to their advantages in weight and strength.
China glass fiber industry has been growing rapidly since 2000 and is expected to grow at 20% annually in the coming years.
According to Jiang Weiming, president of DSM China, the opening of the new plant is a testament to DSM抯 ambitious plans in the fasting growing Chinese market and can reinforce DSM抯 leading position in global market.
DSM’s business covers pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, nutritional products and performance material, of which sizing is a part. It established its first representative office in Beijing in 1993. Sales revenue in China reached US$775 million last year. So far, it has 9 joint ventures, 12 wholly-owned foreign enterprises and 6 wholly-owned sales offices in China.
