Kemira inaugurates Asian Technology Center in Shanghai
HELSINKI, April 15, 2008 (Press Release) - Kemira's Asian Technology Center is being inaugurated today in Shanghai. "In addition to Asia, Kemira's network of the R&D centers includes Europe and North America. The strategic intent to strongly develop our business in Latin America will also be supported by ramping up a Technology Center in 2009. In this way, our customers will get full service from our R&D on all continents," emphasizes Johan Grön, Head of R&D and Technology, Kemira Pulp&Paper (Kemira Oyj's Executive Vice President, Technology as of July 1, 2008).
China is expected to become the world's leading paper manufacturer in the very near future. The production of paper and board in China will increase by about 5% per year and consumption will nearly double from its level in 2005, when it was a little below 60 million tons, by the year 2020, estimates Ronald Kwan, Head of Kemira Group's Asia Pacific region. Also, the demand for water treatment solutions is growing.
Kemira's R&D organization comprises approximately 750 people. "We engage in development work with our customers as well as other co-suppliers, e.g. in process technology and automation. Also, close contacts with universities and research institutions are valuable. We are engaging in more and more cooperation with China's leading universities. The first among them are South China University of Technology in Guangzhou and Nanjing Forestry University", Johan Grön says.
A strong local presence is necessary because raw materials and the demands vary from country to country. Our solutions aim at enabling our customers to be more efficient and more profitable, Xinshu Wang, Head of the Asia Technology Center, underscores.
Kemira is the leading global expert in pulp and paper chemistry, its energy and cost-efficient solutions spanning the pulp and paper industry's value chain from pulping to paper coating. Kemira is also the leading global expert in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and in process and drinking water treatment. Kemira Water provides products, equipment and services for municipal and industrial water treatment.
