Astron Corporation Ltd. (Hong Kong SAR, China)

The Company now has a network of agents and technical staff worldwide, to provide its customers with complete technical service and local stocking.
The Company is an international manufacturer and distributor of advanced zirconium chemicals and materials.
The Company is a 100 Subsidiary of Astron Limited, an Australian public company.
In China, the Company has 3 production facilities and 9 branch sales offices.
History:
-1988: The Company (formerly Astron Resources Ltd.) became involved with two zirconium materials projects in China, one in Hainan island (processing ilmenite and Zircon) and the other, manufacture of advanced Zirconia powders and advanced Zirconia and Alumina ceramics.
-1991: The Company established Jinzhou Astron Zirconium chemicals Ltd at Jinzhou, Liaoning province, to produce Zirconium Oxychloride by direct chlorination (1step) and zirconium metals, and also to expand an existing Zirconium chemicals factory. At that time, the Company was the largest producer of Zirconium chemicals in China. This Company was dissolved in 1993
-1992: A new 100 owned Chinese company; Shenyang Astron Mining Industries Ltd. was founded, exporting zircon sand form Australia into China and exporting zirconium chemicals (produced from the sand) and ceramic raw materials, overseas.
-1993: Shenyang Astron became an agent for Australian Fused Materials Ltd. fused zirconia in China. Its product required very good technical sales support and local branch distribution across China. The China market has the features of very large distances and complex transport systems, very large numbers of customers and many quite different regions and people.
With aggressive attention to customer requirements, the Company built up the zirconium business and quickly became the market leader for both zirconia and advanced zirconium chemicals across China with over 75 of the market share. The Company now has 11 customer service centers throughout China.
-1996: The Company set up a zircon flour factory at Zibo Shandong (3000 tons) and in 1997 set up new zirconium chemical production JVs to expand its zirconium oxychloride and chemical zirconia production capacity.
-1999: The Company moved to develop in Bayuchuan a new (100 owned), zirconium chemical manufacturing plant for the more advanced zirconium chemicals such a zirconium basic carbonate, zirconium basic sulphate zirconium acetate, zirconium propionate etc.
-2000: The Bayuchuan factory was substantially expandedto produce fused zirconia. The Company also set up Astron Advanced Materials Ltd In England to provide direct sales and product service for its European customers. The Company also set up a high quality optical raw materials (100 owned) factory in Bayuquan) using overseas equipment and technology aquired from Merck Ltd.
-2001: Further expansion to produce advanced chemical zirconias.
The Company s shares were listed on Australian Stock Exchange on November 11, 1983. The Company is a company limited by shares that is incorporated and domiciled in Australia. The Company registered on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on September 22, 1959.
On August 29, 2007, the Company has entered into a share sale agreement for the sale of its Chinese based Zirconia materials business. The chemical manufacturing and mineral processing activities were ceased while the development for titanium, exploration and mineral separation activities are continuing.
Effective from 2 May 2012,
• A transaction to redomicile the Astron Group in Hong Kong.
• Astron Corporation Limited (Astron HK) (a new company incorporated in Hong Kong) will become the parent company of the Astron Group
and you will hold shares or CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) in this company if the Proposed Transaction is approved.
• The transaction will be implemented by a scheme of arrangement pursuant to which your Shares in Astron Limited will be exchanged for Astron HK Shares or CDIs.
• Astron HK will replace Astron Limited as the ASX listed entity.
• Following implementation of the Proposed Transaction, Shareholders will be able to trade CDIs of Astron HK on the ASX.
On May 9, 2012, The Company had changed name from ASTRON LIMITED (ASX CODE: ATR) to ASTRON CORPORATION LIMITED (ASX CODE: ATR)