Almatis (Frankfurt, Germany; www.almatis.com), a alumina materials company formerly known as Alcoa World Chemicals, invested in a fully integrated tabular alumina facility at its existing Qingdao plant in the Shangdong province of China. The $18 million investment will expand existing tabular capacity, supporting installation of two shaft kilns for tabular alumina sintering and more than doubling the existing crushing and screening capacity. Under Almatis' long-term supply agreement with Alcoa, the Qingdao plant will be supplied with calcined alumina feedstock from Alcoa, Australia.