Cognis to inaugurate new fatliquor plant in China

Cognis SCO based in Jinshan City, near Shanghai, produce a complete range of degreasing agents and surfactants, along with a number of fatliquors for the leather industry. Production capacity will be increased with the opening of a new plant in Jinshan in September 2006. The leather division has invested a total of €3.7million in the new facility. In addition to the degreasing agents, surfactants and some retanning agents currently produced in China, newer fatliquors in the company's range will be produced at the facility. All types of fatliquors will be produced in the new plant, from sulfited oils, sulfated oils and lecithin fatliquors, to phosphoesters, sulphoesters and special emulsifiers. Cognis began operations in China in 1994 under the guise of Shanghai Henkel and today they employ 381 people at sites in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The leather division in China saw a marked increase in turnover in 2004. Initally, their production of leather chemicals in China focused on degreasing agents and surfactants and, subsequently, in 2001,production began of Cognis' coreline fatliquors. Since then, more and more products have been produced in the Chinese factory.