PHILADELPHIA - Rohm and Haas Company celebrated the official groundbreaking of its new China Research and Development Center in Shanghai, with nearly 200 distinguished guests in attendance. Located on 33,000 square meters (over eight acres) in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Pudong New Area, the facility will serve as the company's primary research and technical service headquarters for China and the Asia-Pacific region.

The new site, expected to open in mid-2006, will initially employ about 350 Rohm and Haas researchers, technical service personnel, commercial and sales professionals, and functional staff, but the site is capable of employing up to 1,500 employees. Rohm and Haas will invest $30 million (U.S.) initially, although the total project is estimated at up to $60 million (U.S.) if long-term growth necessitates site expansion.