Joyce tours new Nuplex manufacturing site in China

Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister for Economic Development, visited Nuplex’s newest US$35 million manufacturing site in Changshu China, as the global, specialist chemicals company continued to expand its presence in Asia.

The Changshu facility is the Kiwi company’s seventh manufacturing site in Asia and is the largest project within the company’s expansion plan to increases production capacity in the region by 75 per cent.

Mr Joyce was hosted by Nuplex’s CEO Emery Severin and its Regional President of Asia, Ruben Mannien, along with other key Nuplex executives on April 8. Guergana Guermanoff, New Zealand’s new Consul-General to Shanghai also attended the tour.

Mr Severin says Nuplex first began operating in Asia in 1998, making it one of the first New Zealand businesses to venture into this region.

"After more than 15 years, Nuplex now has one of the most extensive coating resins manufacturing networks in Asia. The facility in Changshu is our third manufacturing site in China and seventh in the region.

"We’ve invested US$35 million into this facility, making it the largest greenfield project we’ve undertaken in Nuplex’s history. During the past four years we’ve invested more than NZ$60 million expanding our capacity in the region. During our time operating in China we’ve learned a lot and our current focus is to broaden our product portfolio in this market," says Mr Severin.

Building and all commissioning tests have been completed at the site situated 100km northwest of Shanghai. Nuplex expects to commence production following final regulatory approval in the coming months.

Once operational, the Changshu site will produce waterborne and solvent borne resins used in coatings for automotive OEM (car paint), vehicle refinish (smash repair coatings), textiles (backing on blinds), plastics, industrial wood, and protective coatings such as those used on agricultural and construction equipment.

In Asia, Nuplex manufactures in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, supplying resins used in a wide variety of industries including automotive coatings, vehicle refinish products, architectural, metal and wood coatings.

Nuplex employs more than 1,700 staff globally and currently operates 16 manufacturing sites in 12 countries and is New Zealand’s oldest listed company.