LANXESS expands polyamide plant in Uerdingen

The Semi-Crystalline Products business unit (SCP) of the LANXESS (www.lanxess.com) chemical group has expanded its polyamide production in Uerdingen. An existing production line has been extended by adding further processing stages, enabling extra annual production of around 20,000 tons of polyamide 6.

"In Uerdingen, we produce the base polyamide 6 polymer and operate a compounding facility for the production of the high-tech plastic Durethan®. Expanding the polyamide production line creates the conditions necessary to make the Uerdingen site competitive and to manufacture Durethan® to the specified top quality," said Dr. Hubert Fink, head of the SCP business unit, at the start-up of the expanded polymerization plant. The Semi-Crystalline Products facilities in Uerdingen are among the largest of their kind in the world.

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Because of its excellent property profile, Durethan® is the material of choice for highly demanding engineering applications. With its excellent stiffness and strength combined with outstanding toughness, Durethan® is finding an increasing number of under-the-hood automotive applications. In cooperation with systems suppliers and car manufacturers, Durethan® has been used as an effective substitute for metal, for example. Its advantages include significant weight savings, design freedom and a high level of functional integration.

Durethan® is currently taking over applications in oil circuits in the automotive industry, where its long-term heat stability and resistance to various media, particularly engine oil, fit the bill perfectly. Highly integrated oil modules have been a feature of a number of car models for some years now.

Durethan® is also used as a high-viscosity special-purpose polyamide for packaging films which require a high level of properties.

Photo: Press on the start button: (from left) Dr. Gerd Fennhoff, Head of the polyamide plant, Board member Dr. Ulrich Koemm and Dr. Hubert Fink, Head of the Semi-Crystalline Products business unit, start up the new unit.

LANXESS AG, Leverkusen

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