The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.    Major chemical company expansion in Asia-Pacific   Rohm & Haas has been named the most vigorous chemical company in  Asia-Pacific in the latest Asia-Pacific Chemical Business Vitality Index report,  out-competing its chemical and energy sector peers with a winning combination of  regional presence, revenue performance and innovation. Request your free copy  here.

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China - Biggest decorative paint market in ten years Source: SinoCast China Business Daily News, 24 April 2008 With an estimated 10% annual growth in the decorative paint industry, China is expected to rank the top in the world by its decorative paint sales in ten years' time. The growth in the year 2008 will slow down to 6% to 7%, but the nation is expected to catch up with the European market and the US market in the following ten years. The top three or four decorative paint providers take 60% to 80% of the European market, while the top five take 25% of the Chinese market among the over 7,000 decorative paint producers in the nation. Reshuffle is the market trend, driven by the join-in of global counterparts in the industry. Domestic companies in the industry are to cooperate with global or home peers, or to be acquired. Singapore - 3M to expand manufacturing source: 3M, 28 April 2008 3M announced its intent to build a new facility in Singapore to produce coatings for film-based products used in commercial, electronic and automotive applications. By establishing a local film coating center of excellence, the facility will help the company better serve the Asia market and support efforts to accelerate growth. Construction on the new facility, which will be located in the Tuas Industrial Park, will begin in the second quarter of 2008 and is expected to be completed in 2009. 3M operations already in Singapore include a customer innovation center and the 3M Woodlands facility, which manufactures flex circuits and electronic adhesives. Singapore - Manufacturing hub for Lanxess Source: Business Times, 28 Apr 2008 Lanxess which is building a mega US$626 million synthetic rubber plant on Jurong Island is considering even more chemicals manufacturing projects in Singapore. Singapore could also eventually evolve as its Asian headquarters for butyl rubber, especially with the world-scale plant in the Republic playing a strategic role in supplying this raw material for 'green' tyres to the fast-growing regional market, especially in China. When its Jurong Island plant starts up in 2011, Singapore will play an integral role in Lanxess' latest China strategy to increasingly cater to the country's growing demand for green products. Last year, China was the group's fastest-growing market, accounting for US$600 million or 6% of its global sales, with synthetic rubber growing by 140%. View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles. Visit our website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.