ExxonMobil Chemical (Baytown, Texas / USA; www.exxonmobilchemical.com) is to build a technology centre in Shanghai / China to provide product applications support in the growing Chinese and Asian markets, where it expects around 60% of the world’s petrochemical growth to occur over the next ten years. The company is presently expanding its manufacturing capabilities through major capacity additions in Fujian / China – see Plasteurope.com of 25.09.2007 – and Singapore and the new investment is designed to support growing sales of premium products in the region.

The new technology centre will be built and operated by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Research & Development and is expected to be operational in 2010. ExxonMobil Chemical recently expanded its compounding capabilities in the Asia Pacific region through an agreement with thermoplastic compounder Resin & Pigment Technologies (R&P, Singapore; www.resinpts.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 11.09.2008.