Plastics News correspondent Katherine Sima compiled the following briefs from Chinaplas 2006, held April 26-29 in Shanghai.
Dyneon expanding in China and India
3M Co. subsidiary Dyneon LLC has expanded its Shanghai-based plastics additives laboratory and plans to open a polymer processing additives laboratory in Bangalore, India, by the end of April.
``We have expanded ... in Shanghai as well as Bangalore recently to support the strong growth in those two countries,'' as well as regional work, said Peter Breleor, business development manager for the firm's Asia-Pacific region.
One of the world's leading fluoropolymer producers, Dyneon's labs in Shanghai and Bangalore are similar to those in Europe and North America, Breleor said.
The Shanghai lab supports China's demand for plastics and packaging additives, Dyneon's Robert Moore, business manager for specialty additives and fluoroelastomers, said in a news release.
Moore said the Bangalore lab will serve Indian resin producers and compounding operations, as well as U.S. manufacturers that outsource manufacturing in Asia.
Shanghai-based Dyneon Specialty Materials Division said laboratory resources include instrumentation, additive dispersion analysis, content analysis and dry/melt blending. The company declined to release information regarding the size of the labs or total investment in the facilities.
Dyneon's polymer processing additives are sold under the names Dyneon and Dynamar.
Milliken announces Shanghai tech center
Spartanburg, S.C.-based Milliken Chemicals announced the opening of its Shanghai-based business and technical center.
``We saw the need for localized service in terms of technical service and customer service,'' said Rubin Cai, Milliken's regional sales manager for polymer additives.
A market leader in polymer additives, Cai said growth in polypropylene and polyethylene use in China encouraged the firm to make its first step into the market with the tech center's opening.
``We strongly believe that global support for tech customers is critical,'' Cai said.
Cai said the center will house activities for several Milliken business units.