LG Chem said Wednesday it will inject 30 billion won ($26.9 million) to add another customer technical support and development center in China.

South Korea’s leading chemical firm signed an agreement with the city of Wuxi, China to build a local tech support center. LG Chem will invest about 30 billion won while Wuxi will provide the land and the infrastructure for the center, which will break ground in the first half of this year and begin operations in May next year.

“The tech center will offer optimized and customized support to clients in China and strengthen LG Chem’s customer response capabilities. Also, the center will play a key role in LG Chem’s plan to take initiative in the Chinese market with its competitive edge in technology,” LG Chem Executive Vice President and President of Petrochemicals Business Noh Kug-lae said.

To offer customized support, LG Chem will install pilot equipment that is the same size of actual equipment used by its clients. About 60 research and development personnel will be stationed in the center to provide technical support.

LG Chem’s first tech support center in China was established in 2015 in Guangzhou.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)