Evonik Plans Additional PMMA Compounding Line in US

Evonik will soon begin construction of an additional line for compounding its Acrylite trademarked PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) at its site in Osceola, Arkansas (USA). The expansion will nearly double the production capacity of the company’s methacrylates business line for the speciality moulding compounds produced there. Completion and start-up 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 speciality moulding compounds,” explained Mr. Siamak Djafarian, who heads the moulding 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 added. Evonik now intends to build on that strength so that it can offer locally produced speciality moulding compound pro-ducts in each of the three regions.

“The expansion is a response to increasing demand for Acrylite,” said Mr. 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,” he added.

Evonik sells PMMA products under the Plexiglas and Pleximid trademarks on the European, Asian, African and Australian continents and under the Acrylite and Acrymid trademarks in the Americas.

Source: Chemical Weekly