Blue skies ahead for leading chemical firm

A major Chinese chemical company will increase production of indigo dye to cope with rising demand as it expands its export base.

Taixing Taifeng Chemical Co Ltd is the world's leading producer of indigo, a deep blue dye used in the production of denim jeans for brands such as Levi Strauss & Co and Lee.

With a manufacturing center in Alxa in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the company's annual output is more than 30,000 metric tons of indigo products. That translates into 60 percent of the global market.