Milliken Expands German Plastics Modifiers Capacity
US specialty chemical company Milliken is expanding the facilities it acquired last March when it took over Germany’s Zebra-chem. Located in Bad Bentheim, Zebra-chem is a specialty compounder and chemicals company that makes additive and blowing agent concentrates for polyolefins, PVC and engineering thermoplastics.
With the installation of new manufacturing equipment, the expansion will increase capacity at the plant by 60% by the end of 2022, Milliken said, adding that it is on track to fully integrate the Zebra-chem acquisition this year.
The viscosity modifiers and performance modifiers made at the facility, which will be renamed Birch I, increase the melt flow of recycled PP resins with little to no loss of physical properties, enabling converters and brand owners to use more recycled content without compromising overall performance, Milliken said. The company has also built a new warehouse nearby, named Birch II.
“We are seeing very strong demand from several end markets where these products are adding value, and our customer base has welcomed our broader solution portfolio,” said Milliken sales manager Tugce Asici-van Houselt. “These facilities will continue to serve the global market, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
