Germany-based Lanxess is adding a second production line at its Gastonia, North Carolina- a compounding facility for high-tech plastics. The expansion, with an investment of about US$15 mln, will double the existing capacity from 20,000 to 40,000 metric tpa. Construction for the second line is expected to commence in H2-2014 with production scheduled to begin in early 2016.
The Lanxess Gastonia facility produces Durethan (polyamide) and Pocan (polybutylene terephthalate), which allow automotive engineers to design lighter-weight plastic components to replace metal parts in cars, contributing to fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
“The US is the leading market for high-tech plastics, with the automotive industry at the forefront. Automotive industry sales are at their highest level in almost ten years and by adding the second line in Gastonia, we are underlining our ongoing commitment to our customers,” said Flemming B Bjoernslev, President and CEO, Lanxess Corporation.
“Our lightweight high-tech materials are essential to helping manufacturers reduce vehicle weight and achieve higher fuel economy standards. This investment will allow us to increase our competitiveness as a premium supplier and cater to the growing market demands,” said Jens Fischer, General Manager of Lanxess’ business unit High Performance Materials (HPM).
The investment in North Carolina not only strengthens Lanxess’ global high-tech plastics network but also further improves the balance of the company’s overall polyamide value chain through using more caprolactam, a key intermediate for plastics manufacturing, for captive use. In July 2014, Lanxess started production at its high-tech polymerisation plant in Antwerp, Belgium. The facility is designed for an annual capacity of around 90,000 metric tonnes and represents an investment volume of roughly $ 100 million. In addition, Lanxess recently opened a 20,000 metric tonne per year high-tech plastics plant in Porto Feliz, Brazil. Other compounding plants are in operation in Dormagen (Germany), Wuxi (China) and Jhagadia (India).
05-Sep-14 
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