Teknor Apex sells UK ETP assets to Petlon; to focus on nylons and TPEs

US compounder Teknor Apex is selling its Beetle product brand, certain manufacturing assets in the UK, and related customer lists to UK-based Petlon Polymers, in a deal expected to be finalised by the end of September. The sale follows a fire on April 29 that devastated a Teknor Apex compounding facility at Oldbury, UK, which produced engineering thermoplastics (ETPs) and thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs).

“While Teknor Apex is well positioned to supply nylon and TPEs in Europe and throughout the world, we determined that we could not serve some ETP accounts at a level of service that their business required,” said William J. Murray, President of Teknor Apex. “The accounts that we are relinquishing represent a small portion of our worldwide nylon business and include some engineering-grade PET business as well as nylon.”

Teknor Apex will continue to produce nylon compounds in the US and Singapore under the Chemlon brand and supply them worldwide. This month Teknor Apex introduced Chemlon 109 HBK778, a nylon moulding compound with low-temperature toughness, in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Murray also affirmed the strong commitment of Teknor Apex to the European market for TPEs. “Long-term our plan is to manufacture styrenic TPEs and Chemlon brand nylon in our own facility in Europe,” he said. “We will continue to manufacture TPV compounds at a facility in Genk, Belgium and distribute our styrenic TPE materials from that same location.”

The Teknor Apex sales office in Geleen, the Netherlands, continues to be the hub of support for the TPE business in the region.

Since its creation in 1978 Petlon Polymers Ltd has developed into an engineering polymers compounding firm that now offers a range of customised high performance compounds as well as a growing number of environmentally compliant re-engineered materials. All of these products are available from its operation in Lydney, Gloucestershire.