DSM to build two new engineering plastic plants

14 September 2006

DSM is constructing two new manufacturing facilities at its Chemelot site in Geleen, the Netherlands. The company says that it is making these investments in response to excellent market growth for two of the company’s top speciality products, Stanyl® polyamide 46 and Stamylan® UH ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, which is used among other things as a raw material for Dyneema® high strength fibres. The new Stanyl® plant and the new Stamylan® facility, which will each double existing production capacity, are scheduled to come on line in 2008. The total investment will be around €100 million.

The company says that the high performance material Stanyl® is used in a variety of applications, such as automotive, mobile phones, computers and personal electronics. In addition, there is rapid growth in new applications such as fine pitch connectors for LCDs, reflector packages for LEDs, and gears in all kind of applications, for example seat recliners and starter motors.

Stamylan® UH is used as a high strength, wear-resistant engineering plastic in industrial, sports and other applications and in Dyneema® fibre™. This new investment will secure supply to DSM's growing Dyneema® fibre business and will make it possible to meet the sourcing requirements of other customers.