ARNHEM, the Netherlands - Akzo Nobel is investing €24 million to increase capacity at its Bermocoll® production facility in Sweden, which will transform the site into one of the biggest cellulose-derivatives manufacturing plants in the world.

Capacity at the Ornsköldsvik factory, which produces the company's globally marketed Bermocoll water-soluble nonionic cellulose derivatives (used in paints and building products), will be boosted by around 25 percent, with the first expansion phase expected to be completed by mid-2006.