Expansions: Röhm moves PMMA production to new plant in Texas; SK On/LFP in cathode material supply deal with L&F for US market

PMMA producer Röhm America has confirmed that operations at its Westwego, Louisiana, facility have been discontinued and moved to its new plant in Bay City, Texas. This new facility, with an annual capacity of 250,000 tonnes/year, is based on Röhm’s proprietary LiMA technology, delivering significantly higher yields and substantially lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional production routes. It also strengthens supply security for Röhm’s global customer base.

The Westwego shutdown, completed at the end of June, comes exactly as scheduled in the company's strategic transformation plan announced two years ago.

With the Bay City plant now operational, the company says that majority of customer demand is being met from this new site. Röhm adds it “remains a committed and reliable partner to its customers and expresses its sincere appreciation to all employees in Westwego for their dedication and contributions over the years”.

This facility closure represents the latest development in the ongoing consolidation and modernisation of MMA production capacity in the US, as manufacturers seek to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact in the face of increasing global competition.

Röhm Group had earlier announced it would implement a global price adjustment for its acrylic moulding compounds in response to geopolitical developments and planned tariff increases affecting worldwide trade.

The adjustment will impact the company's entire specialty portfolio. The company cited rising costs for raw materials, intermediates, and finished goods as the primary factors for the higher pricing.

In other news, SK On, the battery arm of South Korea's SK Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with L&F for the supply of cathode materials for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, targeting the energy storage system (ESS) market in North America.

Under the agreement, the two companies plan to discuss details, such as supply volume and period, with the goal of building a mid- to long-term partnership, according to SK On.

SK On said the partnership with L&F, a major battery materials maker in South Korea, aims to meet rising demand for LFP batteries in the US and strengthen the company's push into the rapidly growing ESS sector.

ESS installations in the US have been accelerating in recent years, driven in part by the rise of AI-powered data centres that require reliable, scalable energy storage solutions.

LFP batteries are increasingly favoured for ESS applications due to their cost efficiency and strong safety characteristics.

SK On has been expanding its LFP battery development as part of a broader strategy to diversify its battery chemistry portfolio.

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