Clariant expands its Daya Bay facilities in China, boosting pharmaceutical and specialty chemical capacity to meet Asia’s growing sustainable market demand.
Clariant has marked a major milestone in its Asian expansion journey with the official opening of its newly expanded, state-of-the-art Care Chemicals facilities at Daya Bay, China. This achievement follows the completion of a strategic CHF 80 million investment aimed at significantly strengthening the company’s manufacturing capacity in one of its most dynamic and rapidly growing markets.
The expansion focuses on two critical business areas—pharmaceutical excipients and specialty chemicals for personal and home care—underscoring Clariant’s commitment to advancing high-value chemistry in China. This development aligns with the company’s broader vision of catering to the increasing demand for innovative and sustainable chemical solutions across Asia.
Christian Vang, Business President of Clariant’s Care Chemicals division, emphasized the strategic value of the investment, stating, “This expansion represents a defining moment for Clariant’s operations in China. It strengthens our ability to contribute to the health and wellbeing of Chinese consumers while empowering local industries through our innovative specialty chemical solutions.”
A key highlight of the expansion is the enhancement of Clariant’s pharmaceutical capabilities, including the installation of a second spray tower designed to better serve customers in southern China. This addition firmly establishes Clariant as a reliable supplier of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) used in laxatives, as well as pharmaceutical excipients nationwide. The Daya Bay site now functions as a cornerstone for Clariant’s healthcare business, maintaining consistent product quality across China and international markets.
Building on over three decades of expertise in manufacturing polyethylene glycols (PEGs), Clariant has also boosted its Polyglykol production capacity at Daya Bay. The company’s healthcare portfolio now includes key products such as VitiPure™, Polyglykol™, Lanogen™, and Motusflex™, all essential for use as solubilizers, emulsifiers, and solvents in pharmaceutical formulations. The expanded Polyglykol range also includes APIs for ophthalmic and gastrointestinal medicines.
In addition to healthcare, Clariant has enlarged its multi-purpose plant (MPP) at the site by adding an extra reactor to enhance production of specialty chemicals. These include mild surfactants for the beauty sector and soil release polymers for home care applications under the Texcare™ brand. The upgraded facilities also support the development of water-based coatings that reduce VOC emissions, synthetic lubricants that improve equipment durability, and eco-friendly additives that enhance crop protection and soil health.
The expansion has substantially increased Clariant’s Ethylene Oxide Derivatives (EODs) capacity and broadened its product range at Daya Bay.
“The evolution of Daya Bay from Clariant’s first ethoxylation plant in Asia into a fully integrated multi-purpose and EOD site reflects our long-term commitment to the region,” said Vang. “This investment enhances our collaboration with local customers and strengthens our ability to deliver sustainable, high-performance solutions across pharmaceuticals, personal care, and home care sectors.”
