LANXESS To Expand Production for Polyamides and PBT in China

On November 2021, Cologne-based German specialty chemicals company LANXESS AG release a statement to expand its production network in China. The specialty chemicals company will build a second augmented line for Durethan-and-Pocan branded high-tech engineering plastics at its subsidiary manufacturing site in Changzhou China. An estimated investment of around USD 34 Million will escalate the production capacity by 30,000 metric tonnes per year. Together with the company’s existing facilities in Changzhou and Wuxi will bring the total compounding capacity in China to 110,000 metric tonnes per year. The new line is anticipated to go stream in the first quarter of 2023.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of USD 6.91 Billion in 2020. It expanded its operations in 33 countries across the globe and the core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing, and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals, and plastics. The expansion caters to the strong demand from the consistently growing Chinese Automotive industry. In recent years, the sales of EVs soared drastically and proportionally uplifted the sentiments for the e-mobility segment in the Chinese domestic market. In repercussion, it is driving new requirements for lightweight applications and continuously increases the share of electronic components used in cars.

The e-mobility segment is a major field for LANXESS Polyamides (PA6) and (PA66) compounds application in Durethan, Polybutylene Terephthalate prices (PBT) compounds for Pocan, and the endless fiber-reinforced composites Tepex. LANXESS already offered a wide range of products that meet the high-quality standards and norms for the electronic sector globally in terms of flame retardance, electrical properties, and ecological behavior.

The Durethan and Pocan are high-end plastics and an ideal replacement for the metal parts in motor vehicles. Along with numerous advantages of reducing weight, energy consumption, and related emissions. Its uses extend in engine applications, door structures, body reinforcement, pedals, front ends, etc, and contribute to a weight-saving up to 50 percent.

Polyamides (PA) are a class of polymers, which consists of repeated amide groups as a monomer of the main polymer chain. Polyamide 6 and 66 (or Nylon 6 and 66) are the most common types of Polyamide holding numerous commercial applications. PA 6 is manufactured using Caprolactam, while PA 6,6 is manufactured using Adipic acid and Hexamethylene Diamine (HMDA). PA 6 and 66 are offered either in chips or resin grades in uniform pellets which are further processed to serve two major applications: (1) fibers for textiles such as clothing and carpets or (2) engineering thermoplastics (ETP) used across electrical, electronics and automotive sectors.