Lehigh Valley, PA, May 27--Continuing to expand on its commitment to the China market, Air Products announced today that it has formed a joint venture named Air Products Shanfeng with a leading Chinese chemicals supplier, Changzhou Shangfeng Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., to produce triethylenediamine (TEDA) for the fast growing polyurethane (PU) market in China.
The new entity, majority owned and managed by Air Products, is headquartered at its production site in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, Eastern China, which was successfully transferred to the joint venture company from CZSF.
This investment is part of Air Products’ continuing strategy to build long-term infrastructure in China, and to support the growth of its TEDA business by strengthening its China-based capabilities. Air Products will continue to invest its leading manufacturing and process technology into the Changzhou facility to provide world-class manufacturing and meet all environmental, health and safety standards.
TEDA is an important additive used to catalyze reactions to produce polyurethane foam. Growth in the polyurethane foam market is driven by population and income demographics with major end use segments for flexible slab urethane foam (for furniture, carpet underlay, automotive seating) and shoe soles. The polyurethane market in China has been growing at greater than 10% annually and is expected to continue to experience high growth rates as it accelerates its development as a global manufacturing center.
"Our customers are producing increasingly sophisticated products and are continually looking for supply of higher quality products and value-added solutions to help them succeed," said Dr. Jeff Kramer, vice president and general manager, Chemicals Group, Air Products Asia.
Air Products has been supplying amine catalysts to the PU market for 40 years and is a leading global supplier of TEDA to the PU market. The company manufactures TEDA in Paulsboro, New Jersey in the United States, and has additional downstream modification capabilities in Europe. TEDA is also an important product in the portfolio of Air Products’ Performance Materials Division.
