Lanxess launches new production line in China
Specialty chemicals company Lanxess put a new production line for the manufacture of water-based compounds into operation in Nantong, China.
The business belongs to the Urethane Systems (URE) business unit which is also producing polyurethane dispersions, an important ingredient of the compounds. According to the company, these products are used in many functional coatings applications where high requirements in terms of haptics, chemical resistance, gloss level, temperature and abrasion resistance and, above all, the lowest possible content of volatile organic compounds (VOC) are required. Typical areas of application are flat materials for automobile interiors, i.e. instrument panels, seats and door panels, but also decorative foils for consumers and industry.
“We see strong potential”
“As the automotive industry will continue to switch from solvent-based to environment-friendly water-based coatings, we see strong potential with attractive growth rates,” says Michael Timm, Head of Marketing & Development Cast Elastomers at URE.
Lanxess produces polyurethanes and lubricants at its Nantong site, which covers over 100,000 square meters. The urethanes products include hot-cast prepolymers, which are components of specialty polyurethanes that are used primarily in the construction, mining, oil, gas, athletic equipment and electronics industries. These polymers are used, for example, to manufacture rollers, tires and wheels, conveyor belts, screens, seals and so on.
