Expansions: Nouryon expands China colloidal silica site in China; Trelleborg breaks ground on sealing facility in Bengaluru

specialty chemicals firm Nouryon is expanding production capacity for its premium grades of Levasil colloidal silica at its manufacturing site in Guangzhou, China, to serve fast-growing segments like emissions control catalysts, electrical steel coatings and non-stick coatings for cookware across Asia Pacific. By bringing production closer to customers, Nouryon will supply a broader range of premium Levasil grades with shorter lead times, giving manufacturers access they need to develop and scale next-generation technologies and industrial processes.

Levasil is used in a wide range of industrial applications. In emissions control catalysts, it helps vehicles and industrial equipment meet increasingly stringent environmental standards. In electrical steel coatings, it improves the energy efficiency of transformers used in power grids. In non-stick coatings for cookware, it contributes to durability and performance.

"China's technology-driven industries are moving fast and access to advanced colloidal silica is becoming a competitive necessity for manufacturers pushing the boundaries of what's possible in catalysts and performance coatings," said Patrick Wilhelm, vice president for Growth Accelerator Industrials at Nouryon. "This investment means our customers can count on us as long-term partners as they scale their most demanding applications."

"Asia Pacific is one of the world’s most dynamic regions for premium colloidal silica and China is a big driver of that growth," said Sobers Sethi, senior vice president for Emerging Markets and China at Nouryon.

This expansion follows the opening of Nouryon’s innovation centre in Shanghai in November 2025, which houses eight specialized laboratories, including one dedicated to Levasil for catalyst technologies and related applications. Together, these investments reflect the company’s commitment to advancing innovative specialty chemicals, deepening customer collaboration and supporting long-term growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Levasil colloidal silica product line is a versatile ingredient used across Nouryon’s Resource Solutions segment for catalyst applications and the Performance Materials segment for coatings formulations.

In other news, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions in India has announced the development of its new manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka, a greenfield investment that increases production capacity by 30%.

The facility campus spans 50,000 sq m and is scheduled for completion in 2027. It brings together comprehensive manufacturing capabilities, R&D with testing facilities, application engineering support, the Customer Solutions Centre, supply chain centre and global IT services under one roof for the first time.

Trelleborg established its first manufacturing facility in Bengaluru in 2005, serving both local and global customers with sealing solutions. Over the past two decades, the company says it has delivered consistent and sustained growth, underpinned by robust engineering support, a strong focus on localisation, increasing market demand, close customer proximity and India’s strategic role in global supply chains.

The 30,000 sq m of buildings brings together advanced manufacturing capabilities spanning polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) products, rotary shaft seals, mechanical face seals, polyurethane (PU) & other sealing solutions serving various industries worldwide.

It adds that the new facility positions the company as one of the few multinational players capable of manufacturing a broad and diverse product portfolio locally for both Indian and global markets.

The dedicated R&D centre is designed to provide rapid support featuring a fully equipped materials laboratory as well as a testing & technology laboratory, enabling advanced material and product testing, in-depth analysis and the implementation of development projects aligned with our strategic objectives.

Designed to meet global performance and compliance requirements, the facility will operate under internationally recognized certifications including AS/EN 9100, IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO45001.

It will cater to key industries such as aerospace, agriculture, automotive, construction, fluid power, industrial automation, oil, gas & energy, railways and semiconductors.

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