BANGKOK — NatureWorks LLC has launched its first Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Bangkok and has expanded its team in the region.

Marc Verbruggen, president and CEO of Minnetonka, Minn.-based NatureWorks, said the company's Ingeo resin already is being used by brand owners in Asia, most notably mainland China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

The company also announced a series of personnel appointments in the Jan. 22 release, including:

• Rich Weber serves as the new Asia-Pacific commercial director. He will lead existing Ingeo market development work throughout the region. He also is responsible for establishing and managing new distribution relationships in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

• Viboon Pungprasert, the new general manager of NatureWorks Asia Pacific Ltd., will manage the NatureWorks A/P business from Bangkok.

• Chi Au-Yeung, based in Hong Kong, is NatureWorks' new technology and business development specialist for the Asia-Pacific region.

• Pauline Ning is transitioning to regional Ingeo marketing and communications manager for Asia-Pacific. She will be based in both Hong Kong and Shanghai.

• Kasina Samdaengdech has been appointed the new business development manager for Thailand and Vietnam.

• Toshiaki Yamamatsu is now Ingeo technical sales development specialist for Japan.