Expansion Management

Oxea Completes Specialty Esters Plant in China

June 25, 2014

The new plant is Oxea’s first production site in Asia. It will complement Oxea’s three existing specialty esters plants in Europe and will boost Oxea’s global production capacity for specialty esters by 40%.

Adrienne Selko

Chemical company Oxea announced earlier this week that its specialty esters plant in Nanjing, China, is now mechanically complete.

Specialty esters are used to manufacture a large variety of industrial products for, among others, the automotive, architectural and medical sectors.

After a construction period of slightly more than fifteen months the new state-of-the-art plant is currently in the commissioning and start-up phase.

“In view of rising customer demand, it is important to note that here in Nanjing we will have sufficient space and infrastructure to implement further expansions, also for other product lines,” said Miguel Mantas, Oxea’s executive board member and globally responsible for Oxea’s commercial activities.

Dr. Horst Hanke, Vice President Engineering and Infrastructure of Oxea, emphasized that the mechanical completion of the specialty esters plant in Nanjing was a major accomplishment for Oxea. "We successfully implemented our advanced proprietary technology in the new site. The excellent cooperation between Oxea’s project teams in Germany and China has been the key driver to achieving this milestone for this world-class production plant," said Hanke.

“Our new plant is ideally located at the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park, an important chemical industry base in China,” said Joe Zou, managing director of Oxea China Ltd. “Situated at the Yangtze River, the premises offer an existing base of large chemical companies, excellent infrastructure and access to well-educated human resources."

Oxea, which is owned by Oman Oil Co. S.A.O.C., is a global manufacturer of oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives, such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These products are used for the production of coatings, lubricants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, flavorings and fragrances, printing inks and plastics.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.