Infineum (China) Co. Ltd., the second wholly owned foreign enterprise of UK-based petroleum additive manufacturer Infineum in China, located in the Yangtze River International Chemical Industrial Park of the ZJG Free Trade Zone in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, was officially opened on March 17.

The opening of Infineum (China) Co., Ltd. marks another milestone in Infineum’s development history in China, after it established Infineum (Shanghai) Additives Co. Ltd. in 2013.

The opening ceremony was graced by distinguished guests, including Zhu Li Fan, deputy secretary of Zhangjiagang Municipal CPC and mayor of the Zhangjiagang Municipal Government, Gao Jiangang, secretary of the standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Zhangjiagang, Shan Yuzhen, CPPCC chairman of Zhangjiagang, Bian Dong Fang, deputy secretary of Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone Party Work Committee and deputy director of Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone Administrative Committee, and Wang Zhiyuan, chairman of China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. Ltd, the general contractor of the new plant.

They were joined by Infineum’s Chairman of the Board Matthew Aguiar and other Board Members, Infineum Global CEO Xavier le Mintier and the corporate leadership team, and Infineum China Managing Director Fu Limin.

In his speech, Zhu remarked on China’s booming car industry, which requires more efficient and higher quality fuels and lubricants. “Congratulations to Infineum for unveiling a new chapter in China and we are honored that Zhangjiagang has been chosen as Infineum’s manufacturing base in the country. As the booming automobile industry in China calls for more high-efficiency, high-quality and energy-saving fuels and lubricants, Infineum will definitely usher in remarkable opportunities in China.”

“The plant is an important milestone to further serve our ambitious strategy in China. The safety performance, the ability to construct and start this facility without a single recordable incident, is the most outstanding part of this project,” said le Mintier. “Looking back, the 18 months that we have devoted to building this plant has been a remarkable journey, with all the endeavors; we have a world-class lubricant additives manufacturing facility established in Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park.

Apart from being Infineum’s second wholly owned company in China, Infineum (China) Co. Ltd. is also Infineum’s first wholly owned manufacturing base in the country. Covering an area of 100,000 square meters, it is designed with a capacity of producing 100,000 tonnes of lubricant additives per year to meet the rapidly increasing demand for lubricant additives in China.

“The new plant is equipped with Infineum’s cutting-edge systems to ensure that what we do here in China is aligned with the company’s highest standards of safety, quality and environment globally,” Fu said.

The past few years have seen a rapid expansion of Infineum’s business in China. In 2013, Infineum established its first wholly owned company Infineum (Shanghai) Additives Co. Ltd in Shanghai Jinqiao Office Park. To further strengthen collaboration with customers, Infineum set up its China Business & Technology Center in 2014, focusing on marketing and supply, technology support and customer service.