Grace Expands Global Reach with Major Plant Expansion in Kuantan, Malaysia

COLUMBIA, Md., May 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE:GRA), a global leader in specialty silica, today announced completion of the expansion of its manufacturing plant in Kuantan, Malaysia.

Kuantan, the capital and major seaport town of Pahang, Malaysia, has been home to Grace Specialty Chemicals Sdn Bhd since 1996. The expansion is Grace’s fourth extension of the plant since its inception and a direct result of growing worldwide demand for Grace’s specialty silica solutions.

Leading, global organizations leverage Grace^® micronized amorphous silica across a broad range of industries including coatings, plastics, paper, beverage, edible oil, and biodiesel. The plant expansion is a direct result of continued demand for Grace^® silica gel solutions.

Grace^® silica gel is used in a growing list of applications including TRISYL^® silica for the purification of biodiesel, biofuel, and edible oil; DARACLAR^® silica for stabilization and selective adsorption of haze-forming proteins in beverages; SYLOID^® silica for matting furniture, coils, textile, and leather; and SYLOBLOC^® silica used as an anti-blocking solution for plastic films and bags.

“The Kuantan expansion is part of our ongoing commitment to support sustained market strength and global customer demand,” said Sandra Wisniewski, President, Grace Materials Technologies. “With the expansion of our Worms, Germany facility in June 2020, Grace continues to showcase our customer commitment in both EMEA and Asia Pacific, and I am confident that we are successfully positioning ourselves for ongoing growth trajectory.”

James Qiu, Director, Sales, Asia Pacific added: “Our silica gel solutions continue to deliver value across a growing number of global and national customers who operate in increasingly stringent markets. Grace^® technology continues to evolve to address ongoing regulatory and environmental sustainability requirements, and our expansion will undoubtedly play a major role in that continued effort.”

About Grace

Built on talent, technology, and trust, Grace is a leading global specialty chemical company. The company’s two industry-leading business segments—Catalysts Technologies and Materials Technologies—provide innovative products, technologies, and services that enhance the products and processes of our customers around the world. With approximately 4,000 employees, Grace operates and/or sells to customers in over 60 countries. More information about Grace is available at grace.com.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements, that is, information related to future, not past, events. Such statements generally include the words “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” “targets,” “will,” “expects,” “suggests,” “anticipates,” “outlook,” “continues,” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: expected financial positions; results of operations; cash flows; financing plans; business strategy; operating plans; capital and other expenditures; competitive positions; growth opportunities for existing products; benefits from new technology; benefits from cost reduction initiatives, plans and objectives; succession planning; and markets for securities. For these statements, Grace claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Grace is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from its projections or that could cause other forward-looking statements to prove incorrect. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation: risks related to foreign operations, especially in areas of active conflicts and in emerging regions; the costs and availability of raw materials, energy and transportation; the effectiveness of Grace's research and development and growth investments; acquisitions and divestitures of assets and businesses; developments affecting Grace’s outstanding indebtedness; developments affecting Grace's pension obligations; legacy matters (including product, environmental, and other legacy liabilities) relating to past activities of Grace; its legal and environmental proceedings; environmental compliance costs (including existing and potential laws and regulations pertaining to climate change); the inability to establish or maintain certain business relationships; the inability to hire or retain key personnel; natural disasters such as storms and floods; fires and force majeure events; the economics of our customers’ industries, including the petroleum refining industry; public health and safety concerns, including pandemics and quarantines; changes in tax laws and regulations; international trade disputes, tariffs, and sanctions; the potential effects of cyberattacks; and those additional factors set forth in Grace's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are readily available on the internet at www.sec.gov. Grace's reported results should not be considered as an indication of its future performance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on Grace's projections and forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates those projections and statements are made. Grace undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to the projections and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this announcement.

Media Relations
Caitlin Leopold
Grace Corporate
T +1 410.531.8870 
caitlin.leopold@grace.com

Melanie Mai
Grace Asia Pacific
T +86 138 1783 2722
melanie.mai@grace.com

Investor Relations
Jason Hershiser
T +1 410.531.8835
jason.hershiser@grace.com