Global specialty chemicals manufacturer Nouryon is expanding its production footprint in China, setting up MMAO catalyst activator manufacturing at its existing Jiaxing facility to capitalise on rising demand from the solar energy and automotive industries.
The company plans to begin producing modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) in the first half of 2028, strengthening supplies of a key ingredient used in manufacturing high-performance plastics for solar panels and lightweight automotive components.
The expansion will bring production closer to customers in China, a major manufacturing hub for polyolefin elastomers (POE) and other advanced polymer materials, while providing manufacturers with a more reliable and accessible supply source.
MMAO, an aluminium-based compound, plays a critical role in activating catalysts used to produce polyolefin elastomers and alpha-olefins. POEs are increasingly important in applications requiring durable, flexible and lightweight materials, including solar panels and automotive parts.
“Solar power and lighter, more efficient cars are driving demand for the durable plastics that make them possible, and MMAO is critical to making those plastics,” said Alain Rynwalt, senior vice president of Performance Materials at Nouryon. “By producing at Jiaxing, we put a steady supply right where the industry is growing and help our customers scale with confidence.”
Nouryon currently manufactures MMAO at one of its facilities in the United States. The company said its MMAO product offers high solubility in production solvents and storage stability, making it suitable for large-scale industrial applications.
Product quality is also critical to catalyst performance and the consistency of the finished polymers, positioning MMAO as an important component in the production of advanced plastics.
The new manufacturing operation will fall under Nouryon's Performance Materials segment, within its Polymer Specialties business unit, which provides specialised solutions for polymer production.
