China Plant Expansions: Americhem adding TPE/TPU compounding line; Invista to start up ADN plant by 2023

US-based masterbatch supplier Americhem is expanding its operations at its Suzhou, China, plant with a new extrusion line for compounding of TPE/TPU. This is its second expansion in three years for the facility located in Suzhou Industrial Park, which began operation in 2006.

Ohio-based Americhem said the new extruder line features a fully automated underwater pelletiser that allows the processing of soft materials, like TPE and TPU, to meet the growing demand for soft-touch materials worldwide, especially in Asia. The company says that the new line also includes imported high-end twin screw extruders with side feeders, a liquid feeding system and a large drying hopper. Plus, the plant is well equipped to handle all kinds of strand-handling systems-including waterbath, conveyor-belt and high-speed-intensive mixer-to provide effective mixing of all kinds of formulations, it adds.

CEO Matthew Hellstern said, “Between Americhem’s constant growth and the increasing demand for soft touch products, this new TPE line in China will only further enhance our offerings to customers. Our Suzhou plant has the ISO 9001/14001 and ISO13485 certifications for compounding and colouring engineering compounds for medical applications, which we look forward to expanding upon for our TPE/TPU customers.”

Meanwhile, in other news, US-based integrated producer of chemical intermediates Invista has begun work to bring its latest adiponitrile (ADN) technology to China to satisfy the strong, local demand for the nylon 6,6 intermediate chemical. Engineering for a minimum 300,000-tonne plant is underway at an estimated investment in excess of US$1 billion. Construction is targeted for 2020 and production would begin in 2023.

Over the past five years, the fir, has invested more than US$600 million in China to support the nylon market, including a 215,000-tonne hexamethylenediamine (HMD) plant and a 150,000-tonne polymer plant, at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP). It has also created multiple-generation improvements to the technology over the decades, recently setting production records with the deployment of its latest technology in the US.

Kyle Redinger, Vice-President of Invista Intermediates, Asia Pacific, will lead a newly created role dedicated to meeting China’s long-term needs for ADN through capital investments, asset development and commercial arrangements.

“Given China’s strong demand for ADN and its commitment to advanced, energy-efficient technologies, Invista’s butadiene-based ADN is the best choice for capital investment in the region,” said Redinger. “Invista supplies more of the merchant market than any other ADN producer, so we want to ensure those customers have the best technology available. The last world-scale plant was constructed more than 35 years ago, so this is a special time for the industry, and I am extremely proud to lead Invista’s efforts to deliver this new facility.”

Invista says it has been meeting with customers and industry participants to develop a collaborative strategy focused on meeting China’s local needs for ADN, which is used to make nylon polymer, fibres and other specialty materials such as HDI for coatings.

(PRA)

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