Plant Expansions: Lubrizol to expand TPU capacity with investment of US$80 mn; Monosol to invest US$72 mn in water soluble film plant

Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, has provided an update to its global expansion programme supporting the company's Engineered Polymers thermoplastics polyurethane (TPU) business and growing global demand for its Estane TPU, Pearlthane TPU, Pearlbond TPU and other product lines.

In North America, the company is adding new capabilities, expanded raw material storage, warehouse space and improved site logistics. With the latest investment, new capacity is expected to come on-stream later this year.

In Songjiang, China, the company held a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier this month to inaugurate a new compounding line and new extrusion lines. 2018 marks the fourth major expansion in Songjiang since the plant first produced TPU in the early 2000's. Recognising the vast potential of the Chinese market, Lubrizol was the first foreign company to invest in local TPU production. Further investment is planned in Asia in 2019.

In Europe, the company is extending production capabilities for elastomers, aliphatics and adhesives. These expansions build on the acquisition of Merquinsa in 2011, and improvements to R&D laboratories in 2016. A next major European expansion is planned for 2019.

Meanwhile, in other news, MonoSol, a division of Japanese chemicals firm Kuraray, is investing US$72 million to build a new 150,000-sq-ft water-soluble film manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Indiana, US. It will have the ability to expand the site to over 400,000 sq ft in the future. This will be the company’s fourth facility in the US and sixth overall dedicated to producing water-soluble films. This site is expected to initially create up to 89 new, high-wage jobs when operational in mid- to late-2020.

Customers worldwide use the dissolvable film to create pre-portioned packets for a wide variety of applications, including detergents and cleaners, food ingredients, agrochemical, cosmetics and personal care products, and pool & spa chemicals. This pioneering film technology is also used for the growing segments of transfer printing, countertops and solid surface release films, composites fabrication in aerospace, embroidery backing and healthcare containment applications.

The new facility will add approximately 18% to existing global capacity and allow MonoSol to keep pace with consistent growth in several business segments, while increasing operational efficiency and material flow. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2018 and be completed by mid-2020. Once completed, MonoSol’s global manufacturing footprint will include four plants in Indiana, US, as well as sites in Hartlebury, UK, and Saijo, Japan.

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(PRA)