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| At the start-up ceremony of the new plant in Shanghai. © Covestro |
Covestro has started production in its new plant for polyurethane elastomers systems at its integrated site in Shanghai, China. Groundbreaking for it had been announced in summer 2022. The investment is in the double-digit million Euro range. It is a part of a series of investments in the Elastomers raw materials business the company undertook in the past few years worldwide, e.g. in its sites in Thailand and Spain. The new plant in Shanghai shall help meet ever rising demand for the material in the Asia-Pacific region, for example in renewable energy applications such as offshore cable protection and silicon wafer cutting rollers of photovoltaic panels, among others.
"We provide materials that help to facilitate a more climate-neutral and circular world. The products to be manufactured at our new plant in Shanghai are an excellent illustration of this, as they will assist our customers in meeting the increasing demand for renewable energy solutions,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer at Covestro. “In doing so, we are supporting the growth of an industry that is vital for preserving our climate. Furthermore, we are promoting sustainability in various industries by supplying materials containing renewable attributes."
The polyurethane elastomers systems produced in the site can be used for a variety of end products. For offshore windpower, the protection of subsea cables is a core application area. The material is also used in the manufacturing process of photovoltaic panels or in screening medias in the mining industry. In all of the above, it is designed for purpose in close collaboration with customers to withstand even the harshest of conditions thanks to its excellent wear, tear and abrasion resistance.
The new plant is the latest addition to the Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai (CISS), Covestro’s single largest production site worldwide. CISS is now home to twelve plants. Since 2001, the company has invested about 3.7 billion Euro into the site as of the end of 2022.
