SHANGHAI – Bayer MaterialScience announced its expansion plan for the production of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) at the groundbreaking of its new 50,000-tons-per-year HDI production unit located at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai (BISS).

With this new HDI unit, BISS will be equipped with one of the largest HDI production capacities in the world by 2016, ensuring strong and flexible supply to global customers, as well as solidifying and enhancing the company’s pioneering capabilities in HDI production technology.

As a leader in polyurethane technology with knowledge about the local market, Bayer MaterialScience has a keen understanding of China’s role as a key global production center. The rising middle class also creates an urgent need for high-performance end products, contributing to the potential of HDI demand in the market. Meanwhile, the pace of urbanization, climate change, and industry upgrade call for an optimization of production processes and for high-quality, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly products.

The regional innovation hub for Asia Pacific, located at the Polymer Research & Development Center (PRDC), and the establishment of a Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties global innovation team in Shanghai support the expansion. In addition, the company has continually strengthened its business presence in the region with ongoing investments in production, research and people.