From June 5 to 7, Han Wei, Party secretary of Zhangjiagang, led a delegation on a visit to a number of leading enterprises in the United States, including Dow, Honeywell, and International Flavors & Fragrances, aiming to further deepen cooperation with multinational companies and advance the city's opening and high-quality development.
During their visit to Michigan, the delegation visited Dow Chemical Company, a Fortune Global 500 company and one of the world's largest multinational chemical corporations. Dow's Zhangjiagang production base, which commenced operations in 2002, has accumulated an investment of $3 billion and stands as Dow's largest production base in the Asia-Pacific region.
Kevin Kolevar, vice-president of Dow, credited the efficient operation of Dow's Zhangjiagang production base to the city's excellent business environment and government services. The Zhangjiagang production base will expedite the construction of six ongoing projects and continue to expand its business presence in Zhangjiagang, said Kolevar.
Infineum, one of the world's top four producers in the lubricant additive industry, opened its first wholly-owned factory in China in the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone in 2013, with an annual production capacity of up to 100,000 metric tons of lubricant additives. During the Zhangjiagang delegation's visit, both parties reached an agreement on establishing a research and production facility for new energy vehicle transmission fluids and lithium battery additives.
Quaker Houghton Group is a global company specializing in specialty chemicals for the steel, automotive, and metalworking industries. Quaker Houghton Materials Technology (Suzhou) Co Ltd is scheduled to commence construction in the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone in July. During discussions, both parties reached a consensus on establishing a China sales center in Zhangjiagang. Senior executives from Quaker Houghton expressed confidence in the future development of Zhangjiagang, recognizing it as fertile ground for investment and growth.