Haihong Laoren & Yantai Wanshun: Joining Forces to Craft a New Blueprint for Green and Environmentally Friendly Coatings Collaboration

Recently, Ms. Emilie Barriau, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Hempel Group, and her delegation visited Yantai Wanshun New Materials Co., Ltd.The two parties engaged in in-depth discussions on ways to deepen their cooperation. This visit has ushered in a new chapter of closer collaboration between the two companies, each of which boasts distinct strengths in the coatings and chemical materials sectors.

I. Strong Partnerships, Complementary Strengths

Yantai Wanshun New Materials Co., Ltd. was established on October 20, 2020, and is located in the Yantai Chemical Industry Park. With a registered capital of RMB 375 million, the company’s Phase I project involves an investment of approximately RMB 1 billion and boasts an annual production capacity of 180,000 tons. The company focuses on the research, development, production, and sales of green, high-performance chemical new materials, including polyaspartic ester resins, polyester resins, modified isocyanates, and UV‑curable coatings, positioning itself as a highly promising, innovative enterprise in the industry. Among these, its flagship product—polyaspartic ester resin—boasts high reactivity, rapid curing, and broad application versatility, and has obtained EU REACH certification. It is suitable for a variety of applications, such as anti-corrosion protection of outdoor steel structures and safeguarding wind turbine towers.

Hempel A/S was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1915, with its North Asia regional headquarters located in Shanghai. The Group operates 25 state-of-the-art production facilities worldwide and maintains three major manufacturing centers in China—Guangzhou, Yantai, and Zhangjiagang—alongside two R&D hubs. Backed by a global workforce of more than 7,200 employees and an extensive presence spanning over 100 countries and regions, Hempel’s business network covers China’s key cities, supported by numerous branches and warehousing facilities. As a renowned player in the coatings industry, Hempel is dedicated to providing specialized coating solutions for the marine, infrastructure, and energy sectors in China.

II. On-site Visits and Mutual Recognition of Technologies

Following the talks, the Hempel team visited the laboratory of Wanshun New Materials. The lab spans 8,000 square meters and is equipped with more than 80 state-of-the-art international R&D instruments and testing and analytical devices, representing a total investment exceeding RMB 40 million. It has established an integrated technological innovation system covering synthesis and R&D, process development, and application-oriented research. Additionally, the company has built a research institute technical team comprising over 60 doctoral and master’s degree holders, and has forged long-term collaborative partnerships with numerous domestic research institutions and universities. The Hempel team expressed strong recognition of Wanshun New Materials’ robust R&D capabilities, believing that this will provide solid technical support for future cooperation between the two parties.

III. Upgrading Cooperation to Build a Green Future Together

Even during the construction phase of Wanshun New Materials’ plant, the two parties had already initiated collaboration—entire steel structures and the exterior surfaces of storage tanks were coated with Hempel’s high-performance anti-corrosion system, delivering a maintenance-free protective performance throughout the design service life. Building on this established partnership, the meeting identified three key areas for enhancement:

1. R&D Focus: Concentrating on cutting-edge technologies in ultra-high solids, solvent-free, and bio-based coatings to jointly develop long-lasting, heavy-duty anti-corrosion solutions.

2. Joint Market Development: Targeting the growing market for green and environmentally friendly coatings, while collaboratively advancing the adoption of green coating solutions in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

3. Mechanism Alignment: Establish mechanisms for high-level mutual visits, technical exchanges, and regular data sharing to enable real-time information flow across technology, markets, and supply chains.

This visit by the Hempel Group marks a significant milestone in the cooperation between the two parties. Looking ahead, Yantai Wanshun New Materials and the Hempel Group, leveraging their respective technological expertise and resource advantages, will inject fresh momentum into the coatings and chemical materials industries through diversified collaboration models, jointly achieving even greater success and making a more substantial contribution to the advancement of related sectors.