W.R. Grace Opens Plant in Western China

Columbia, Md.-based W. R. Grace & Co. has opened a new manufacturing facility in Chongqing, China.

The facility houses manufacturing operations for cement additives and concrete admixtures, as well as a quality-control lab and office areas for administrative and sales personnel, according to the company.

The facility is a continuation of our investment strategy in emerging regions and better positions us to benefit from increasing infrastructure spending in Western China, said Andrew Bonham, President of Grace Construction Products.

In addition to the Chongqing plant, W.R. Grace has four existing manufacturing facilitiesin Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The company also operates a research and development center in Beijing that houses chemical and physical testing facilities for cement additives, concrete admixtures, and waterproofing and fireproofing products.

This new location enables us to provide greater service and shortened delivery times for customers in Chongqing and Sichuan, and the nearby provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan, said Phil Krichilsky, vice president and general manager, Grace Construction Products-Asia Pacific. Working with our research and development centers in Beijing and Singapore, we can help our customers manufacture better-quality cement through energy-efficient and environmentally friendly methods.

The company notes that its business history in China dates back to the 19th century.

In 1986, the company became the first wholly foreign-owned enterprise allowed to conduct business in the country with the opening of a can sealant manufacturing facility near Shanghai that is still in operation today, the company said in a press release.