Clariant has officially opened its new AMPS polymers plant for production of specialty polysulfonates at its strategic global facility in Tarragona, Spain. The new plant is the result of a two-year investment totaling around €16 million, brought about through Clariant's recently completed Global Asset Network Optimization (GANO) project. It has led to the creation of 32 new jobs at the site. Production commissioning and customer approvals have been taking place since early last year, leading up to the official opening of the plant on February 22.

Clariant has incorporated the most modern process technology available into the new plant, leading to an energy consumption that is far lower than has been possible with previous technologies. The plant is already certified to Certificate ISO 22716:2007 (cosmetic ingredients).

Two separate lines will make a range of polymers for the Business Unit (BU) Industrial & Consumer Specialties (ICS) and BU Oil & Mining Services (OMS). These range from Hostacerin and Aristoflex emulsifiers and rheology modifiers for use in face creams, to Hostamer and Hostadrill fluid loss control additives for well cements used in oil and gas drilling operations. The output will meet growing demand in markets served by the BUs. The investment by OMS in Tarragona is part of its on-going expansion in global capacity for the mining sector.