Henkel opened what it claims is the world’s largest adhesives factory in Shanghai to serve the auto industry and various consumer goods producers. Annual output is forecast to reach 428,000 metric tons of adhesives.
Henkel has invested more than €50 million in the plant that will employ about 600 people. With this factory, Henkel, already the world’s largest adhesives manufacturer, is responding to the rising demand for industrial adhesives in China and the entire Asia-Pacific region.
China is already the largest car market in the world, with a rapidly expanding domestic production base, because of its industrial policy that forces automakers to build there. China is also one of the major producers of sports equipment and electronic products. In these and other industries, adhesive use is increasing because they make the products lighter, thereby increasing their performance.
Henkel employs 47,000 people and reported sales of €16,510 million, with an operating profit of €2,335 million in fiscal 2012.
