Wacker Chemie AG recently announced it has officially started up its new pilot reactor for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions at its Nanjing site in Jiangsu, China. The new facility reportedly will allow Wacker to expand its local research and development activities and grow to its regional portfolio of product development, application technology, and customer services.

The investment needed for the pilot reactor amounted to approximately €2.4 million (~$2.6 million). The project is intended to meet growing demand in China and Asia-Pacific for polymeric binders and strengthen its position as a manufacturer of VAE dispersions and dispersible polymer powders.

“Our objective is to work with our customers to develop first-class solutions adapted to local needs and, in that way, to contribute to Wacker’s growth going forward,” said Peter Summo, president of Wacker Polymers. “Wacker is now one of the world’s few VAE manufacturers that can support customers in China from the development lab all the way up to large-scale production.”

For more information, visit www.wacker.com.