Evonik has completed the relocation and expansion of its precious metal powder catalyst plant in Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park. Production is scheduled to commence in Q4. No financial details were disclosed.

This completes the upgrade of the company’s global network of five precious metal catalyst plants. Evonik sells the catalysts under the Noblyst P brand name mainly for applications in APIs and agrochemical AIs. China is one of the fastest-growing markets for them.

Solvay has announced the completion of expansion of its China Research & Innovation (R&I) Centre in the Solvay Shanghai Technology Park with the inauguration of the ‘Magnolia’ research building. The company also recently opened its Material Application & Development Lab in Shanghai. In all, Solvay has spent about €500,000 at the R&I hub since 1995. The new building features a pilot hall for advanced materials applications, an automation & robotics lab and purpose-built spaces customised for both industrial applications and consumer goods research.

BASF has inaugurated the expansion of its Innovation Campus Shanghai. Originally opened in 2012 and twice updated through total investments of €280 million, the campus is BASF’s largest R&D site in Asia. The two new R&D buildings will house laboratories for:

* Process engineering, focusing on the formation and handling of solids and polymer recycling technologies

* Dispersions & resins, include robotic automation to test scrub resistance and tensile strength, and characterise coating film appearance

* Metal surface & industrial cleaning processes

Solvay has officially opened its application development lab in Shanghai. Housing some 30 scientists, engineers and technicians, it will seek to “advance custom-tailored application developments” using Solvay technologies, notably for the automotive, new energy, life sciences, smart devices and semiconductors.

IMCD has agreed agreement to acquire Shanghai Sanrise Industries & Development, a major distributor in China’s personal care markets. This will take place in two tranches: 70% now and the rest in 2025. Closing, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approval, is expected to take place in Q1 2023.