Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany) and Fuhua Tongda Chemicals Company (Fuhua) have established a joint venture in Leshan, Sichuan Province, to produce and market hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in China. The new company, “Evonik Fuhua New Materials (Sichuan) Co., Ltd.,” has Evonik as a 51% shareholder with the other 49% held by Fuhua. Supplied by Fuhua’s industrial-grade H2O2, the joint venture will produce specialty-grade hydrogen peroxide for applications such as solar panels, semiconductors, and food packaging. The first production volumes are expected to enter the market in the first half of 2026.
The collaboration combines Evonik’s strong, global market position and peroxide expertise with Fuhua’s access to local infrastructure and networks in China. The new company follows on a license agreement signed by the partners in November 2023, wherein Evonik licensed its H2O2 technology to Fuhua to build a 200 kiloton hydrogen peroxide megaplant. This plant will supply the new joint venture with H2O2 for further purification.
“This next step in our successful partnership with Fuhua is of great importance to our strategy in the Asia Pacific region,” said Lauren Kjeldsen, head of Evonik’s Smart Materials division. “Our Active Oxygens business line aims to provide specialty solutions for some of the most important challenges facing a growing population, such as green energy and electronics. In Fuhua, we have found a partner with whom we can join forces to pursue these goals. Congratulations to the team on this milestone.”
Fuhua Chairman Zhang Hua said, “Evonik is an important partner for us, and this joint venture marks a new level in our cooperation. We look forward to combining Fuhua’s own advantages in resources and circularity with Evonik’s advanced technology and experience to jointly bring competitive products to the market.”
Specialty hydrogen peroxide grades can be used in a wide variety of future-facing applications. For example, hydrogen peroxide is a crucial ingredient in the production of photovoltaic cells for solar energy. It is used as a bleaching, disinfection, and oxidizing agent in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Or it can act as a sterilant in aseptic packaging in order to extend the shelf-life of food and beverages. And because hydrogen peroxide breaks down into only water and oxygen, it leaves minimal residues as compared with some chemical alternatives.