Citing opportunity in the booming electric vehicle market, Belgium-based Arteco announced recently that it is building a factory to produce coolants and heat-transfer fluids in Nantong, China.
The company, a joint venture between Chevron and TotalEnergies, does business internationally but is placing a particular focus on what it described as the “dynamic China market,” according to a Nov. 21 news release.
“Strengthening our local presence will amplify supply chain resilience, optimize operations and mitigate the risks inherent in extensive global supply chains,” Arteco General Manager Alexandre Moireau said. “We are committed to contribute our part to create a better and cooler world for future generations, and we believe that our new production plant in China, which will manufacture right from the raw materials instead of imported additive packages, is an important step in that direction.”
Formed in 1998 and headquartered in Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Belgium, Arteco has historically focused on supply of antifreeze coolants and heat transfer fluids used in automotive and industrial applications. Recently it has been broadening into the supply of coolants used in electric vehicles – a new and challenging application due to the high amounts of heat generated by EV batteries and the electrical charges inherent in those vehicles.
With EV sales surging, a growing number of companies are jumping into that market, including numerous lubricant marketers but also suppliers of internal combustion engine coolants and other chemical companies. China is by far the world’s largest EV market.
There is similar growing interest in coolants for data centers where performance needs are changing and equipment designs evolve.
Arteco said its plant in China will supply products for both markets.
“The new production plant will not only cater to local automotive customers but will also produce our products for the electronics cooling segment, including applications such as data centers,” the company’s regional manager for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, Paul Golesworthy, said in the news release. “In this market, a noticeable trend is emerging, with water-based products gaining market share offering significant benefits in terms of long-lasting corrosion protection and cooling capabilities.”
Arteco did not disclose the cost nor the capacity of the plant. The company’s website suggests that construction is at least underway, and the news release said the new plant should begin shipping products to customers during the first half of 2024.