In early 2018, Evonik will begin construction of an additional line for compounding its ACRYLITE® trademarked PMMA at its site in Osceola, Arkansas (USA). The expansion will nearly double the production capacity of the Methacrylates Business Line for the specialty molding compounds produced there. Completion and startup of the new compounding line is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.
“Expanding the compounding capacity in Osceola is the next logical step in our efforts to implement our global strategy for specialty molding compounds,” explains Siamak Djafarian, who heads the Molding Compounds Product Line within Evonik’s Performance Materials Segment. “We are the only PMMA manufacturer in the world that has fully integrated MMA/PMMA production networks with downstream compounding in the Americas, Europe, and Asia,” he goes on to say. Evonik now intends to build on that strength so that it can offer locally produced specialty molding compound products in each of the three regions.
“The expansion is a response to increasing demand for ACRYLITE®,” adds Jack Chenault, the head of the Americas region for the Performance Materials Segment. “Demand is on the rise in the US and in the growing Mexican and South American markets, especially for construction, lighting, and automotive applications that require a sophisticated level of quality.”
ACRYLITE® molding compounds show convincing performance in all applications where the foremost requirements are unexcelled weather resistance, colorfastness, high brilliance and transparency as well as hardness and abrasion resistance. In cooperation with specialists from the plastics industry and their suppliers, Product Line Molding Compounds develops new ACRYLITE® products for innovative applications.
Evonik is a worldwide manufacturer of PMMA products sold under the PLEXIGLAS® and PLEXIMID® trademarks on the European, Asian, African and Australian continents and under the ACRYLITE® and ACRYMID® trademarks in the Americas.
Company information
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The focus on more specialty businesses, customer-orientated innovative prowess and a trustful and performance-oriented corporate culture form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. They are the lever for profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company. Evonik benefits specifically from its customer proximity and leading market positions. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world with more than 35,000 employees. In fiscal 2016, the enterprise generated sales of around €12.7 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.165 billion.
About Performance Materials
The Performance Materials Segment is managed by Evonik Performance Materials GmbH. The segment focuses its global activities on developing and manufacturing polymer materials and intermediates, especially for use in agriculture and in the rubber and plastics industry. In 2016, the segment’s roughly 4,400 employees generated sales about €3.2 billion.
