CHINA - Cargill has opened its first FR3® natural ester fluid manufacturing facility in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province.

FR3 fluid is a plant-based transformer fluid that is safer for communities and more environmentally friendly than mineral oil, the company said in a press release.

With a total investment of more than $7 million, the opening of the Yangjiang facility expands Cargill's bioindustrial business to include a total of six FR3 fluid facilities globally.

The use of the natural ester fluid is expected to help support China's sustainability goals as natural ester dielectric fluid is derived of 100% vegetable oil with performance-enhancing additives and has been demonstrated to be readily biodegradable. Life cycle analysis confirms a neutral carbon footprint, assisting with CO2 reduction targets.

"This facility marks a new milestone in the development of Cargill's bioindustrial business in China," said Oliver Luo, Cargill's Bioindustrial Asia Sales Director. "With the new facility in Yangjiang, we are helping enable Chinese customers to achieve their business and carbon emission goals. China's power industry plays a significant role in the country's effort to reduce carbon emissions, and Cargill aims to support their efforts to operate more sustainably."

Cargill's bioindustrial business provides a range of nature-derived offerings - including base chemistries, specialized products, and fully customized solutions for customer needs across a broad spectrum of applications and industries. It also operates a regional innovation center in Shanghai that focuses on Cargill's beauty business.  

Source: Cargill