Celanese Expands UHMW-PE Capacity in USA
Celanese will add a new line at its plant in Bishop, Texas, USA, for its GUR brand of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) to support significant market growth. The new line will add about 15,000 t/y of capacity by the start of 2022.
UHMW-PE microporous membranes are used as separators in lithium-ion batteries, demand for which will grow significantly in Europe and Asia over the next five years, said Celanese, because of the explosive growth in global electric vehicle sales.
“Electric vehicle demand is expected to have a compounded annual growth rate of greater than 25% through 2025, resulting in strong demand for Celanese GUR for lithium-ion battery separators,” said Tom Kelly, senior vice president, engineered materials, adding that Celanese is committed to investing further in local manufacturing capabilities to offer “unmatched security of supply.”
In June last year, the company completed a project at Nanjing, China, that also lifted GUR capacity by about 15,000 t/y.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
