W. R. Grace & Co, the world's leading global supplier of specialty chemicals and materials, is expanding in China with the opening of a regional headquarters in Shanghai and a technical service centre in Beijing this week.

The office in Shanghai is a consolidation of separate offices, allowing for a more centralized operation in the country, said Fred Festa, president and CEO (chief executive officer) of Grace.

The technical service centre in Beijing consists of testing laboratories for cement and cement additives, as well as physical testing facilities for concrete and concrete admixtures.

It uses raw materials from within China to customize additive formulas to meet customer requirements.

Festa revealed that the company will keep expanding in China through upgrading the existing facilities and mergers and acquisitions with local companies, but declined to give specific details.

In the meantime, Grace will enhance the role of its purchasing centre in China. The centre will play an important role in the firm's global business, he said.

"All our moves aim to develop unique tailor-made solutions to meet local demands and to better serve our customers in China," Festa said.

"Our business is to help our Chinese partners grow their own businesses, and our investments and technical services facilities in China are all part of that overall strategy to help our customers grow," he added.

According to Festa, the company brings the latest and the most innovative products to the Chinese market, which is the driving force of the company's business in Asia.

Festa said the company's construction division will introduce cement additives to help China's cement industry become more energy efficient, improve the quality of their cement to meet international standards, especially for export, and contribute towards the goal of cement production being environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Grace has maintained a growth rate of 20 per cent in the Chinese market since 2000.

In the first half of this year, Grace's revenues in China grew by 30 per cent year-on-year.

Last year turnover in the country reached US$60 million.

Grace China currently has four manufacturing facilities. Concretes, admixtures and cement additives are manufactured in Hong Kong, Zengcheng in Guangdong Province and Tanggu in Tianjin.

The factory in Shanghai produces concrete admixtures and cement additives, and sealants and coatings.

Source: China Daily