Bayer and DuPont to build new PBT polymer plant
30 May 2001
A manufacturing joint venture between Bayer and DuPont Engineering Polymers will result in the building of a new 80,000 ton plant that will produce polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) base polymer in Europe.
The start-up of the plant is planned for the first half of 2003. The location will be at the existing DuPont facility in Uentrop, Germany. Both Bayer and DuPont will continue to process the base polymer into PBT compounds and market these products independently.
The companies' claim that the new plant will be one of the worlds largest PBT resin facilities ever built. Construction is scheduled to start in autumn of this year, and once the plant becomes operational, approximately 60 new jobs will be created in the new facility.
The Uentrop Site has around 600 employees and produces polyamide and polyester polymers. The site is also home to DuPont SA, a 50:50 partnership between Sabanci and DuPont making polyester fibre based products.
The increase in PBT base polymer capacity is in response to the anticipated growth of the market for PBT resins, estimated at 7-9% per annum - one of the highest growth rates for engineering polymers.
