Germany-based Evonik and Ampaglas Plastics joint venture company Evonik Acrylics Africa (EAA) has opened an extrusion plant in South Africa to produce Plexiglas sheets. Located in Johannesburg, the plant employs 20 employees and will produce some several thousand tonnes/year of semi-finished material for the African market.

The products, which are manufactured in accordance with international quality standards, include standard formats as well as special sizes.

Evonik entered into a joint venture with the South African plastics processor Ampaglas Plastics Group, one of the largest manufacturers of extruded plastics in Southern Africa, with the aim of expanding its market share. Since then, the partners have further expanded the distribution network under EAA. The firm says that producing locally means it is more flexible and can respond more quickly to customer requests and offer them more competitive products and better service.

As a key sales market in Southern Africa, the major market segments are construction and architecture, signage, lighting technologies, and furniture, shopfitting, and exhibition stand construction. Due to its material properties, Plexiglas is particularly well suited to the intense solar radiation in the region: UV radiation causes plastic to become yellow and brittle—thanks to its special chemical composition, Plexiglas is said to be protected from this.