Lanxess bolsters global production network for flame retardants

German speciality chemicals company Lanxess plans to strengthen its global asset base for flame retardant additives with investments of around EUR200 million over the next three years. The company runs a strong backward integrated production network for bromine and phosphorous based flame retardants with plants in the US (Charleston, El Dorado, Greensboro), Germany (Leverkusen, Krefeld-Uerdingen), France (Épierre) and the United Kingdom (Manchester).

“With the acquisition of the US company Chemtura in spring 2017 we became one of the world’s leading suppliers of flame retardant additives. With the investment package we will further strengthen our strong position in this growing market,” says Karsten Job, head of the Polymer Additives Business at Lanxess.

Lanxess has significantly expanded its market position for flame retardant additives after integrating the former Chemtura businesses with brominated flame retardant additives, bromine and bromine derivatives. Due to their high effectiveness, these substances are used among others in the construction industry and were an ideal complement for the already existing Lanxess business with phosphorus-based flame retardant additives.

In addition to the production network for flame retardants, Lanxess is running two technical development centres for these products in Naugatuck, US and Leverkusen, Germany. “Out of Leverkusen and Naugatuck, we are driving global innovations like reactive and polymeric flame retardants,” says Job. Reactive and polymeric flame retardants, like Lanxess’s Emerald Innovation 3000, enjoy a constant rise in demand as they offer a much better sustainability profile than standard flame retardants.

(PRA)

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