Evonik expands PEEK capacity in China; oil/gas sector target for new grade

Due to increasing global demand for high-performance polymers, Evonik's Resource Efficiency Segment is significantly expanding its production capacity for polyetheretherketone (PEEK) at the Changchun (China) site. The amount of capacity was not announced.

Evonik says business for its Vestakeep brand of PEEK polymers has experienced consistent and strong growth over the last five years across all relevant industry segments for example, oil and gas, aviation and automotive. "We're very pleased to be able to participate in increasing global demand for PEEK products," says Dr. Matthias Kottenhahn, Head of the High Performance Polymers Business Line. "The investment affirms our commitment to support our customers' growth over the long term as well as to continually expand our product portfolio."

Thanks to the high thermal and chemical resistance, Vestakeep speciality polymers can replace metal components enabling demanding lightweight structural applications.

The company says new products are also in the pipeline. One of these is Easy Slide I grade, a recently developed PEEK compound that is said to stand out by offering excellent abrasion resistance and low sliding friction, thereby allowing production of ever smaller and more powerful structural elements such as vacuum pumps. The recently introduced Vestakeep 5000 HCM (hot compression moulding) grade increases the production efficiency of customised PEEK seals delivering mechanical properties and performance for the oil and gas industry, says Evonik.

Evonik has more than 40 years' experience in the development and production of high performance polymers. "Our strategy is to pursue joint project development with our customers to ensure the continuity of the innovation pipeline," says Sanjeev Taneja, Vice President of High Temperature Polymers. "Our aspiration is to offer high-quality products that lead to commercialization of new projects for our customers."