AkzoNobel, the leading global paints and coatings company, and a major producer of specialty chemicals, broke ground on its new decorative paints plant in Qionglai, in Sichuan province, on Wednesday.

With a total investment of 44 million euros ($58.5 million), it will be the fourth and one of the largest decorative paints production plants of AkzoNobel in China.

The 55,000-square-meter plant is located at Qionglai Yang'an Industrial Park and will feature state-of-the-art production facilities.

The first phase is scheduled to be operational in 2016 and the plant is expected become fully operational in 2017, manufacturing the full range of AkzoNobel's decorative paint offerings.

Officiating at the ground-breaking ceremony, Ton Buechner, CEO of AkzoNobel, said: "Our new decorative paints site is significant proof of our ongoing commitment to China, which is a strategically important market. This investment supports the strategy of organic growth and operational excellence, by using state-of-the-art technology."

In addition to the construction of the new site, AkzoNobel also donated 1.5 million yuan ($241,935) to build 10 Adream Centers in Qionglai.

Adream Centers aim to improve the quality of education for children in rural areas in China by providing modern multimedia classrooms, teacher training and developing various curricula. Later this year, the 10 Adream Centers will be formally open to students from local primary and middle schools.

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