Coatings in Jiading

DuPont has begun construction of a new world-class coatings plant in the Jiading district of Shanghai. When completed next year, it will serve a variety of automotive and industrial markets in

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“Recently, we began the transformation of our Performance Coatings businesses to better serve our global markets,” said Terry Caloghiris, group vice president, DuPont Coatings & Color Technologies. “This new plant is an excellent example of how we are redesigning our business to respond quickly and effectively with high quality, technologically advanced products for rapidly growing markets such as those in China.”

Operations at the new plant are expected to begin in late 2007. The facility will initially employ approximately 250 people.

The Jiading plant will be the company’s 10^th finishes-related investment in China. DuPont said in a statement that it has invested $20 million in facility and technology improvements in a plant it acquired in 2004 to establish an advanced automotive finishes manufacturing site in Changchun.

The company also operates four powder coatings plants in China that are part of a joint venture; a refinish technical center in Shanghai; and training centers for automotive aftermarket customers in Beijing and Shanghai. A technical and distribution service center dedicated to the automotive manufacturing industry is alsolocated in Shanghai.