Composites specialist Citadel Plastics (West Chicago, Illinois / USA; www.citadelplastics.com) has opened a manufacturing facility in Changshu, Jiangsu Province / China, as part of a joint venture with electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shielding and plastics specialist EMEI Group (Shatin, New Territories / Hong Kong; www.emeigroup.com).

The 3,700 m² plant known locally as BMC Composite Materials (Changshu), will have 25 employees and has begun production of BMC, part of Citadel’s legacy composites business, to supply the serve automotive and electrical customers in the region. The facility is the company’s 20th worldwide and is capable of expansion to include SMC and thermoplastics manufacturing to meet future market needs.

Citadel CEO, Mike Huff, said, “The new Changshu site is a prime opportunity for Citadel to continue our successful partnership with EMEI, provide improved local customer support and response, and expand our engineered composites footprint in China.” The company’s Dongguan facility, which employs 60 and currently manufactures BMC for the appliance, electrical and automotive markets, is located in southern China outside Hong Kong and was opened in 1998.