Complementing a major expansion project for bio-based polyamide 11, French chemical producer Arkema is widening its worldwide PA 12 production capacity in reaction to strong demand in Asia. The 25% expansion will take place at the company’s Changshu platform in China and is expected on stream by mid-2020.

In 2017, CEO Thierry Le Heńaff announced that Arkema would spend €300 million over five years on expanding its Rilsan PA 11 output up to 2021, without disclosing a location, capacity or investment cost for the new “world-scale” production plant.

With this latest investment, which the company said will cost “tens of millions of euros,” Arkema said it is continuing the build-up of its specialty polyamide business in all three major global regions – Europe, North America and now Asia.

The new capacity for the Rilsamid-trademarked PA 12 will support the strong demand in growth applications such as cable protection, lightweighting in automobiles, improved high performance sports shoes and evolving applications in the consumer electronics segment. In Asia, mid-term growth rates in these applications are expected to exceed 7% annually.

"With this latest project, the specialty polyamides business will continue to bolster its industrial, commercial and R&D presence in Asia, while confirming its commitment to supply its global customers locally,” said Julie Zhang, regional president of Arkema’s Technical Polymers business in Asia.