Royal DSM China campus
Royal DSM has undertaken two major plant expansions in China.

SHANGHAI, CHINA — Royal DSM has undertaken two major plant expansions in China to boost both gellan gum and pectin capacities. The company also has announced plans to establish a Global Innovation Center for hydrocolloids adjacent to its gellan facility.

The expansions are expected to further strengthen DSM’s global position in hydrocolloids, following its investments in pectin and gellan gum assets in China in 2013 and 2010, respectively. Both expansions are expected to be completed in 2016, and the innovation center is planned to be inaugurated in the third quarter of 2017.

Produced by a natural and sustainable fermentation process, gellan gum plays a critical role as a stabilizing and texturizing agent in a wide variety of foods and beverages, according to DSM. The company said it plans to meet increasing demand for gellan gum through the expansion of its plant in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province.

Pectin products are used in a variety of food and beverage applications such as jams, confectionaries, dairy drinks, yogurts and nutritional supplements. DSM said it is expanding its pectin capabilities at its Andre Pectin facility in Yantai, Shandong province.

Xiangwei Gong, global BU director of DSM Hydrocolloids
Xiangwei Gong, global BU director of DSM Hydrocolloids
“DSM Hydrocolloids is fully committed to bringing global customers the best-in-class application support and product development,” said Xiangwei Gong, global BU director of DSM Hydrocolloids. “With these significant investments, we complete another strategic milestone to increase capacities and tremendously boost our hydrocolloids innovation competence. These steps are an integral part of DSM’s strategic roadmap for hydrocolloids, and further demonstrate our firm commitment to be the fastest growing and one of the most important global hydrocolloids players.”