European Chemical Industry News & Insights

Akzo Nobel Invests in Swedish Expancel Plant

At a glance
  • Akzo Nobel is investing in its Stockviksverken, Sweden plant to increase Expancel® microsphere production.
  • The expansion project will start this autumn and take about a year to complete.
  • Expancel microspheres are used in printing inks, paints, paper, and packaging.
  • The investment will create new jobs and strengthen Expancel's market position.

Investment in Production Capacity

Akzo Nobel is investing an undisclosed amount in its Industrial Products plant in Stockviksverken, Sweden. This investment aims to increase the production capacity of Expancel® expandable microspheres due to rising global demand.

Project Timeline

The expansion project is scheduled to start this autumn and is expected to take about a year to complete. This development will also create new job opportunities in the region.

Expancel Microspheres

Expancel microspheres are small, spherical plastic particles with a polymer shell encapsulating a gas. When heated, the gas increases in pressure, causing the thermoplastic shell to soften and expand significantly in volume.

Applications

These microspheres are used in various applications, including printing inks, paint additives, paper and board production, and wallpaper production. They are also utilized as lightweight fillers in many other products. Recently, Expancel microspheres were used in the packaging for the fragrance Glow by J.Lo.