China Kick-Off of JIDA Degussa - Production of High-Temperature Polymer PEEK Begins
December 23 , 2005
There's nothing left to hold back the JIDA Degussa High Performance Polymers Changchun Co. Ltd. (JIDA Degussa) joint venture founded in June 2005, now that Chinese officials have issued all the necessary permits. The required permits for producing polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyether sulfone (PES) were issued in mid-December of 2005. Degussa AG, Dusseldorf, Germany, holds an 80-percent stake in the joint venture through its Chinese holding company while the northern Chinese Jilin University has a 20-percent stake. The university is providing the technology for the joint venture and will work together with Degussa as a research partner in future. The new joint venture will benefit from Degussa's financial backing, global distribution network, and advanced expertise in chemical manufacturing systems.
A chemist by profession, Dr. John A. Thich will be heading JIDA Degussa. He has been in China for the last 6 months contributing to closing the successful negotiations there. Thich previously worked at various different positions over the last 16 years at Degussa. He will be assisted by a Chinese native, Dr. Dongxing Li, who will be in charge of production and has been working on the transition of this position for the last few months. Li completed his doctoral degree in Germany and worked as a process engineer at Degussa's Darmstadt site in Germany in various operating units for 17 years. The High Performance Polymers (HP) business unit located in Marl, Germany, will market the products internationally. The market launch will be coordinated by Christian Bierhaus, who has been with the HP unit for many years.
HP and Jilin University began the intense preparations for the start of JIDA Degussa's production even while negotiations were still underway. The planned improvements to the production system will now be implemented immediately so that larger sample quantities will be available of the quality customers desire. This means that a total PEEK capacity of 1,000 metric tons will be available beginning next year. High Performance Polymers will present the first product brochure on PEEK in February 2006 at PLAST in Milan. The brochure will include all the relevant technical specifications. Development partnerships with several customers will facilitate a quick market launch of PEEK.
Degussa is the global market leader in specialty chemicals. Our innovative products and system solutions make an indispensable contribution to our customers' success. This is embodied by Degussa's motto, "creating essentials." In fiscal 2004, Degussa's 45,000 employees across the globe generated sales of 11.2 billion euros and operating profits (EBIT) of 965 million euros.
