In China the Company has 3 production facilities and 9 branch sales offices.

1988: Astron Limited (formerly Astron Resources Ltd.) became involved with two zirconium materials projects in China, one in Hainan island (processing ilmenite and Zircon) and the other, the manufacture of advanced Zirconia powders and advanced Zirconia and Alumina ceramics. In

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 Astron 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.¡¯s fused zirconia in China. Their 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, Astron 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. Astron now has 11 customer service centers throughout China.

1996: Astron 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: Astron 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. Astron 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.

Astron now has a network of agents and technical staff worldwide, to provide its customers with complete technical service and local stocking

Astron was the first ISO9002 Quality Assurance Accredited Company in its field in China.