At a glance
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has opened its new polyamide plastics plant in Antwerp, Belgium. The facility, which represents an investment of €75m ($88m), has an annual capacity of around 90,000 metric tons and will primarily serve the automotive industry. The plant will gradually increase its capacity utilisation rate in the coming months. All plastics manufactured at the Antwerp site will be processed into final products at LANXESS' global compounding facilities. The company's high-tech plastics are used in a range of applications, including engine parts, door structures and electronics.
Antwerp is the heart of LANXESS high-tech plastics production
All plastics manufactured by LANXESS at Antwerp will be processed within its global network of compounding facilities into the final Durethan-brand products. In addition, the new plant for the polymerization of high-tech plastics has been built in the direct vicinity of the caprolactam facility operated by the Group in Antwerp. Caprolactam is the key intermediate for plastics manufacturing. With the inauguration of the polyamide plant, LANXESS will be able to increase its captive use of caprolactam.After the polymerization the plastics are reinforced among others with glass fibers to further improve their properties and adapt them to customer needs. The glass fibers required for this purpose are also produced at a LANXESS facility in Antwerp.