CHANGSHU, China - Coatex and Arkema Emulsion Systems have announced the opening of a new Asia-Pacific coatings application laboratory in Changshu, China, to provide technical support to their coatings customers in the region. The new facility will host a technical team with expertise in all Arkema Emulsion Systems and Coatex technologies and applications. The team will be fully dedicated to providing support for coatings formulation and evaluation to customers.

Both businesses are part of the Arkema group and their product lines for the coatings market are highly complementary. Arkema Emulsion Systems focuses on latex binders, while Coatex is entirely dedicated to water-based rheology additives. They share a common vision of the business based on sustainable growth, innovation and responsiveness to customer needs. The eco-friendly products offered by the two businesses include EnVia® certified latex products from Arkema Emulsion Systems, as well as RHEOTECHTM and COAPURTM thickeners and ECODISTM dispersing agents from Coatex.

On the same Changshu site, a water-based rheology modifier plant will be operational in the coming months, followed in 2012 by latex production lines for Arkema Emulsion Systems products.