Coatings World: At the China Coatings Show in December, what new coatings products will Wanhua Chemical introduce? What market demands and application fields do these products target?

Wanhua Chemical: Wanhua Chemical is dedicated to advancing the sustainable development of the coatings industry. At the upcoming exhibition, we will present a range of innovative coating raw materials targeting the automotive, construction, packaging, and new energy sectors, offering global customers efficient and eco-friendly solutions.

Automotive Industry: To address the demand for efficient and environmentally friendly solutions, we are introducing WANNATE® HT-790B and WANNATE® IT-170B fast-curing agents. These agents enhance the quick-drying performance of automotive refinish paints, reducing energy consumption and increasing production efficiency. Additionally, our low-viscosity curing agents, WANNATE® HT-300/400/500 and WANNATE® HB-200, help minimize VOC emissions, making them suitable for use in automotive original coatings.

Construction Industry: In line with the shift from solvent-based to water-based coatings, our WANAMINE® H12MDA water-based epoxy curing agent offers exceptional water resistance and anti-corrosion properties, making it ideal for various architectural and industrial coatings.

 Packaging Industry: To enhance safety and environmental performance in food and industrial packaging, Wanhua introduces a Blocked IPDI trimer as an effective crosslinker for metal packaging coatings, enhancing the safe use of metal packaging materials.

New Energy Industry: Our Wannate® HT-300, a unique HDI polyisocyanate, provides excellent flexibility and is increasingly used as a crosslinker for thermal conductive adhesives in renewable battery packages. We also offer Wanamine® 8100, a polyether amine used as an epoxy resin curing agent for manufacturing larger wind turbine blades. Furthermore, our water-based resins provide durable and eco-friendly coatings for wind power and photovoltaic frames, supporting carbon reduction and resource recycling efforts.

Others: Lastly, we are highlighting our specialty isocyanate, XDI, known for its excellent weather resistance, heat resistance, and optimal reactivity, making it suitable for high-end coatings and inks.

CW: Could you share Wanhua’s progress in bio-based and degradable coatings? Do these products have specific application cases? How does the company balance environmental protection and performance?

WC: Wanhua Chemical is committed to sustainable coating solutions that drive the global industry’s green development. We launched bio-based PDI with 71% biomass, reducing carbon emissions by 20%. It’s used in high-performance coatings and elastomers. Our ISCC PLUS-certified bio-based IPDI uses recyclable materials and contains up to 75% renewable carbon, offering more sustainable options.

To balance environmental protection and performance, we reduce VOC emissions through water-based and high-solid systems, while maintaining quality. For example, Lacper® 4605 with 55% bio-carbon content, which received the 2024 Ringier Technology Innovation Award, demonstrates high performance and up to 80% bio-based components.

Additionally, the upgraded WANNATE® HT-PLUS series reduces free HDI monomer content below 0.1%, meeting EU REACH standards and enhancing safety for downstream users, supporting a greener coatings industry.

CW: As the chemical industry accelerates its globalization, what are the core elements of Wanhua Chemical’s globalization strategy?

WC: Wanhua’s globalization strategy is built on three dimensions: innovation and R&D, global supply chain layout, and localized services, effectively managing and coordinating its global operations to ensure efficiency, innovation, and customer satisfaction across different markets.

Competitive Product System: Wanhua leads in high-performance materials, supported by seven R&D centers in China, Spain, and Hungary. We continuously invest in synthetic biology, electrochemistry, and CO2 utilization, delivering competitive products and solutions under the “Good Product, Good Service, Good Brand” ethos.

Global Supply Network: With nine major production bases and plants strategically located worldwide, including in China, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, and over 60 storage centers supporting 144 countries and regions. Wanhua ensures stable and efficient product supply. we ensure stable supply and fast delivery through advanced logistics, providing reliable service to our global customers.

Localized Services: By establishing subsidiaries and offices in 18 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, we have formed a strong marketing network to manage our global business. Wanhua provides efficient, localized support to global customers, staying close to markets to better understand needs and deliver targeted solutions, boosting satisfaction and competitiveness.

CW: Wanhua Chemical has won multiple global chemical innovation awards. What drives this innovation, and how does the company sustain it?

WC: Upholding the mission “Advancing Chemistry, Transforming Lives”, Wanhua is committed to leading the industry’s development direction through innovation, creating a better life for humanity. Innovation is the core pillar of Wanhua Chemical, crucial to our success in the chemical industry. In 2023 alone, our R&D investment reached 4.08 billion yuan, accounting for 2.33% of our total sales revenue. From 2018 to 2023, our total investment in R&D amounted to 16.02 billion yuan, covering research staff salaries and various technological studies.

Integrated R&D Innovation System: We have established a comprehensive innovation system covering basic research, process development, scaling, industrialization, and product application research. This system is supported by our global R&D centers, regional technical service centers focusing on application innovation, process optimization technology centers at major production sites, and collaborative laboratories with universities and research institutions.

Culture of Innovation and Equity: We foster a culture that rewards local innovation over reliance on imports, supporting high-quality growth through well-funded R&D. Employees benefit from bonuses and substantial rewards for successful projects.
Reform and Efficient Management to Foster Innovation: Following the company’s full listing in 2019, we streamlined management structures to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucratic hurdles in research activities. This restructuring not only improved operational efficiency but also elevated the status of scientists and senior researchers, aligning their compensation with executives to reflect their contributions and value.

CW: Sustainable development has become a crucial aspect of corporate growth. What specific efforts and achievements has Wanhua Chemical made in ESG?

WC: Wanhua is committed to sustainable development, focusing on zero-carbon electricity, low-carbon energy, and innovative carbon reduction.

Power Zero-Carbonization: To reduce carbon emissions, Wanhua focuses on optimizing the energy structure from the source, continuously improving carbon footprint management. Wanhua targets 50% clean electricity at all domestic production bases by 2030 and full coverage by 2035. Our clean energy projects, including a 310 MW offshore wind project in Fujian with CO2 reductions of 800,000 to 1 million tons annually, and a solar farm in Shandong, exemplify this commitment. Additionally, our fishery-solar project integrates solar with agriculture and aquaculture, lowering emissions and benefiting communities.

Low-Carbon Energy: We are committed to reducing carbon emissions in energy usage and production processes by adjusting the energy structure towards low-carbon fuels.  For example, the Wanhua-Hehai project uses a smart thermal integration technology to convert low-temperature waste heat into high-grade energy, which is distributed to the municipal heating network, providing clean heat for 10 million square meters in Yantai and benefiting over 100,000 families in the 2023-2024 heating season. This innovation will, at full capacity, save 2.6 million tons of coal, reduce CO2 emissions by 6.7 million tons, and conserve significant water annually, showcasing a model of industrial-residential integration.

Innovative Carbon Reduction: We focus on reducing carbon emissions in production. Wanhua’s seventh-generation MDI technology integrates significant environmental and energy-saving innovations. Our MDI wastewater recycling efficiently recycles high-concentration amine wastewater, reducing waste by about 3 million tons and cutting CO2 emissions by 140,000 tons annually. Additionally, our hydrogen chloride (HCl) oxidation and recovery technology repurposes HCl by-products from MDI production. Using a proprietary fluidized bed process and non-precious metal catalyst, it produces high-purity chlorine for reuse in MDI production, saving 710 million kWh annually and reducing CO2 emissions by around 700,000 tons.

CW: Emerging technologies and low-carbon environmental pressures are impacting the chemical industry. What is Wanhua Chemical’s future direction and strategy?

WC: Facing the dual challenges of emerging technologies and the low-carbon transition, Wanhua Chemical is proactively preparing for future growth to stay ahead in the global low-carbon movement.

Hydrogen Energy and Photovoltaic Technology: Wanhua is evolving from a green energy equipment buyer to a supply chain solutions provider, investing in hydrogen energy and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). We plan to increase investment in green hydrogen production to drive deep decarbonization.

R&D in Green Materials and New Energy: Our research focuses on high-performance engineering plastics, degradable plastics, and electronic chemicals to support new energy vehicles and high-end equipment. We’re advancing in high-end polyolefins, high refractive index PC, and bio-based materials to lead the green materials market.

Battery and Energy Storage Solutions: Wanhua invests in lithium battery materials and recycling, creating a closed-loop system from raw materials to end-of-life recycling, enhancing the sustainable battery ecosystem.
Wanhua remains committed to its mission, “Advancing Chemistry, Transforming Lives”, integrating ESG principles deeply into our business and partnering with global industry leaders to drive the future development of green chemistry and low-carbon transformation, creating a better future for humanity!