1 July 2014
Details
has taken its new plant for
polyamide plastics
in Antwerp, Belgium,
into operation as planned.
The world-scale facility for polyamide plastics
is designed for an annual capacity of
around 90,000 metric tons.
It represents an investment volume of
EUR 75 million.
The main customer of lightweight plastics
is the automotive industry.
Following the current starting-up phase,
the capacity utilization rate of the plant
will be gradually increased in the coming months.
All plastics manufactured by
LANXESS at Antwerp
will be processed within
its global network of compounding facilities
into the final Durethan-brand products.
In addition, the new plant for
the polymerization of high-tech plastics
has been built in the direct vicinity of
the caprolactam facility
operated by the Group in Antwerp.
Caprolactam
is the key intermediate
for plastics manufacturing.
With the inauguration of the polyamide plant,
LANXESS will be able to
increase its captive use of caprolactam.
After the polymerization the plastics
are reinforced among others with
glass fibers
to further improve their properties and
adapt them to customer needs.
The glass fibers
required for this purpose are also produced
at a LANXESS facility in Antwerp.
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