Expansions: Ingevity’s new plant in US ups global capacity for polyols by 40%; Kolon completes PET expansion at tyre cord plant in Vietnam

Ingevity Corporation says it has launched new Capa polyols production and produced the first commercial quantities of its caprolactone polyols in the US. The completion of the company’s expansion at its facility in DeRidder, Louisiana, increases Ingevity’s global capacity for producing polyols by 40% and positions the company to better meet increasing demand for the Capa portfolio and more effectively serve its customers by reducing global lead times, it adds.

“Adding production of Capa polyols in the US strengthens Ingevity's ability to respond to increasing demand and demonstrates our commitment to offering innovative solutions for our growing customer base in the region,” said Ingevity senior vice president, Performance Chemicals and president, Engineered Polymers, Steve Hulme. “The completion of the Capa expansion is a great achievement for our teams in DeRidder and Warrington that bolsters capabilities for Engineered Polymers and our broader Performance Chemicals segment.”

The investment in Ingevity’s DeRidder plant includes installation of monomer storage capacity to not only support the manufacturing of polyol derivatives, but also to streamline and enable bulk monomer shipments to US customers.

“We are excited to add capacity, which we expect will allow us to support our global customers with increased levels of service and reduced lead times,” said Ingevity’s global commercial director, Joel Neale. “We believe the increased availability of our Capa polyols will also enable our customers to capture growth opportunities in emerging markets.”

Ingevity’s DeRidder plant has been in operation since 1977, employs 187 people and includes production of emulsifiers, rosin and tall oil fatty acid used in a variety of applications such as adhesives, asphalt additives, publication inks, metalworking fluids, drilling fluid additives, oilfield production chemicals, paints and coatings. Ingevity also operates a polycaprolactone production facility in Warrington, United Kingdom.

In other new, South Korea’s Kolon Industries Inc. has completed the expansion of its tyre cord production plant in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, and is speeding up to boost its global competitiveness. 

The company said it has increased 19,200 tonnes/year capacity of PET (polyester) tyre cord production from 84,000 tonnes to a total of 103,200 tonnes. This expansion is its second investment since the first expansion of 16,800 tonnes of PET tyre cord Vietnam plant in 2018, and is expected to greatly improve the production efficiency once again.

Tyre cords are high-strength fibres used as reinforcing materials for tyres, which serve as frames for tyres and keep them in shape. The cords are important as they affect the safety and performance of automobiles. Depending on the raw materials, there are PET, nylon, rayon, and steel tyre cords. Kolon Industries produces PET  cords, which are mainly used in passenger car tyres.

The plant is located in Bau Bang Industrial Park, Vietnam. It brought in the latest production facilities and thus owns a consistent production system from yarn spinning to weaving, processing, heat treatment, and finished products. The Vietnam plant is currently in full operation after quality approval from global tyre manufacturers.

Kolon says the expansion is in line with the growth of the global tyre market. Demand for replacement (RE, Replacement Equipment) tyres increased last year, and shipments of new vehicle (OE, Original Equipment) tyres increased this year. According to an automobile market research agency, the tyre market is recovering to its pre-Covid-19 level from this year and is expected to grow at an annual average of 4%.

Kolon Industries has formed partnerships with major global tyre companies since it started its tyre cord business in 1973. Following the establishment of a new factory in Nanjing, China in 2004, the company secured international production bases with the best technology and price competitiveness through this continuous investment in Vietnam.

(PRA)

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