Synthos is planning to build a new plant for the production of extruded polystyrene (XPS) at its site in Oswiecim, Poland.

Preparations are already underway to start work and obtain the necessary building permit for the facility, which will have an annual capacity of 220,000 m³. A start-up date was not given.

In addition to traditional PS feedstock, the plant’s process will also use recycled material from styrene packaging waste.

The company said the expansion is in response to rising demand in central Europe, noting that consumption of XPS boards is growing faster than that for traditional foamed PS, both of which are used for insulation. The additional output, Synthos said, will help to boost its sales efforts and increase market share, particularly in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.

The Polish group also disclosed that, in addition to the Oswiecim project, it is planning another XPS expansion to reach a total capacity of 800,000 m³. Synthos said it is considering a location in the Czech Republic for this expansion. Currently, total combined production at its plants in Oswiecim (before the aforementioned project) and Kralupy in the Czech Republic is 400,000 m³.