US-based specialist chemical company Ashland Inc has cemented its presence in China by opening a new gelcoat production facility on Thursday.

The new facility, with investment of $60 million, is located in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, where the company also operates a resin production facility.

It has been manufacturing products in the region for more than 10 years.

This new facility will serve customers in marine, sanitary ware, transportation, wind energy and industrial markets in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region, according to the company.

Gelcoats are specialty resins that improve the appearance of fiberglass products and protect structural layered materials from corrosion. It is used in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products, including yachts, bathtubs, basins, high-speed trains, buses, wind energy blades, cooling towers and storage tanks.

The new facility will also produce adhesives, fire retardant resins and low-profile additives for many industrial products.