Bayer and DuPont sign final agreement to build new PBT polymer plant

31-May-2001

Bayer and DuPont Engineering polymers have reached agreement for the manufacturing joint venture to build a new 80,000 ton plant to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) base polymer in Europe. The start-up of the plant, using the latest available technology is planned for the first half of 2003. The location for the new plant will be at the existing DuPont facility in Uentrop, Germany. As previously indicated, each partner will continue to process the base polymer into PBT compounds and market these products independently.

This new plant will be one of the worlds largest PBT resin facilities ever built with a capacity of 80,000 tons. Construction is scheduled to start in autumn of this year. It is estimated that during construction of the new plant, up to 200 construction personnel will be engaged. Once the plant becomes operational, approximately 60 new jobs will be created in the new facility. The Uentrop Site has around 600 employees and produces polyamide and polyester polymers. The site is also home to DuPont SA, a 50:50 partnership between Sabanci and DuPont making polyester fibre based products.

The increase in PBT base polymer capacity is in response to the anticipated growth of the market for PBT resins, estimated at 7-9% per annum – one of the highest growth rates for engineering polymers. This strategic decision to further invest in the growing PBT market underscores Bayer´s and DuPont´s confidence in this market.

Bayer´s Plastics Business Group has approximately 7000 employees around the world and generates sales worth more than EUR 3.5 billion. The principle focus of its activities is the production of and marketing of engineering thermoplastics used especially in the automotive, electric, electronic and consumer industries. This includes polycarbonates, ABS and ABS-blends, SAN, polyester PBT, PET and blends, polyamides as well as thermoplastic polyurethanes and transparent sheets and films.

The DuPont Engineering Polymers business manufactures and sells a broad range of thermoplastic polyesters and polyester elastomers, polyacetals, polyamides, liquid crystal polymers and polyimides. These products serve global markets in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, consumer, electrical, electronic, industrial, sporting goods and many other diversified industries.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/3344/bayer-and-dupont-sign-final-agreement-to-build-new-pbt-polymer-plant.html