China expansions: Röhm expands MMA/PMMA output in Shanghai; Envalior increases engineering plastics capacity in Changzhou/Jiangyin to tap e-mobility and E&E markets

Germany’s Röhm has expanded its presence for MMA (methyl methacrylate) and PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) production in China. In a ceremony attended by employees, partners and political representatives, Hans-Peter Hauck, COO of Röhm, officially commissioned the plant. “The expansion of our global PMMA capacities is an important step on our way to becoming the leading methacrylate Verbund,” said Hauck. Thus, at the end of the year, another PMMA plant will also start production in Worms, Germany.

China is the largest market for MMA and PMMA in the world. Röhm has been supplying the market with Plexiglas (branded in the Americas as Acrylite) moulding compounds since the 1990s. Since 2008, the company has been on site with its own plant in Shanghai to serve local customers even faster and more reliably.

"Our business has grown steadily," says Benjamin Ling, Röhm President Asia. "As our customers and the Chinese market have grown, so have we, and we have steadily expanded our capacity."

The basis for success in the Asian market is not only the moulding compounds, but also customised innovations, Röhm adds, that it has developed specifically for the Asian market. Examples include Plexiglas Hi-Gloss for automotive pillar trim and Plexiglas Resist for electronic displays.

"We work very closely with our customers when it comes to helping their innovations get off the ground,” Ling said. Drivers for PMMA innovations are trends such as electromobility in the automotive sector and growing customer requirements in the lighting industry. Röhm's newly built innovation centre in Shanghai also offers customer-oriented developments.

The company says its Plexiglas is well-suited for applications where durability, resistance to weather and UV, colour fastness, high luminosity and transparency as well as hardness and scratch-resistance are key. The brand celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

In other news,Envaliorannounces that its planned expansions at the Jiangyin and Changzhou production sites have been completed, with a new compounding line built at each location. Both facilities produce sustainable high-performance materials for the automotive, electrical and electronics markets, among other segments. Envalior is a joint venture of DSM Engineering Materials (DEM) and Lanxess High Performance Materials (HPM) – under the ownership of global private equity firm Advent International and specialty chemicals company Lanxess

These investments underline the company’s long-term commitment to the growing Chinese market, especially in the area of new mobility. In recent years, China’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement has seen it become a leading contributor to global frontier innovation. This is especially true within its world-leading e-mobility sector which already accounts for 35% of the country’s auto sales and will continue growing going forward. Rising living standards and increasingly ambitious environmental ambitions centring around Battery Electrical Vehicles are driving increasing demand for high-performance and specialty engineering materials in the Chinese market.

Both the Jiangyin and Changzhou plants boast strong sustainability credentials. This aligns with Envalior’s commitment to driving a more sustainable and circular economy and to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its entire value chains, compounding technologies are applied and production equipment with reduced energy consumption have been installed. Furthermore, the additional compounding line in Jiangyin will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly from sourced energy and partly from solar energy generated directly on-site.

Materials manufactured at the newly expanded plants include high-performance specialty materials such as Akulon PA6/PA66, Arnite PET/PBT, Arnitel TPC, Durethan PA6/PA66, EcoPaXX PA410, ForTii PA4T/PPA, Pocan PBT, and Stanyl PA46.

Jason Zhang, MD Asia, said: “Envalior is deeply committed to supporting its customers in China across all segments, including the important electronics & e-mobility industry. These investments represent a key step as we expand our capacity within China’s innovative market. China’s rising living standards and increasingly ambitious environmental policies have driven demand for sustainable high-performance materials, making now the ideal time to strengthen our presence in this key region.”

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