Lanxess has inaugurated its new compounding plant for PA and PBT resins at Porto Feliz, Brazil. Built at a cost of €20 million, the facility employing 50 skilled workers will initially have an annual capacity of 20,000 t/y.

The German specialty chemicals producer said its new plant will support in growing demand for high tech plastics used in Latin America's automotive industry more quickly and more efficiently. The country is the world's fourth largest automotive market.

"This major investment in a state-of-the-art compounding plant underlines our strong commitment to our customers in Brazil and Latin America, who can now count on local production, engineering and technical services as well as excellent product quality and customer service," said Lanxess managing board member Werner Breuers. 

In the new compounding plant, the basics are mixed and refined with special additives and glass fiber, according to client requirements, to make the high-tech plastic product lines sold under the trade names Durethan (PA) and Pocan (PBT).

Since 2012, Lanxess has steadily expanded its global production network for high-tech plastics. In Antwerp, Belgium, the company is currently completing a new PA world-scale polymerization plant. The 90,000 t/y unit is scheduled to start operation in the third quarter of 2014.

The company's High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit with roughly 1,700 employees worldwide is highly backward integrated. Along with polymers and compounds it also manufactures manufactures glass fiber as well as caprolactam and its starting materials.