Bayer MaterialScience is to expand production of polycarbonate at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany through an investment of about EUR 90 million. The plant\'s current annual capacity is to gradually reach 400,000 tons over the next four years in
Bayer MaterialScience is to expand production of
polycarbonate at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany through an investment of
about EUR 90 million. The plant's current annual capacity is to gradually reach
400,000 tons over the next four years in stepped increases. The current
nameplate capacity is 330,000 tonnes per year.
"Global demand for polycarbonate has increased considerably, with the strongest
growth in Asia/Pacific, particularly in China. But there is also increased
demand in Europe where the material?s versatility and other properties make it
an ideal material for a variety of applications, for example in the automotive
industry, where it is used to make vehicles lighter and more energy efficient.
For Europe, we expect an average growth of five percent," says Dr. G?nter Hilken,
head of Polycarbonates at Bayer MaterialScience.
Another reason for the strong growth in Europe is the increasing demand for
technology driven products such as in the electronic entertainment industry. One
example is state-of-the-art LCD TV screens which must meet requirements for
"eco-labels" as well as strict legal requirements with regard to flammability.
There is also increasing demand for polycarbonate in other industries such as
furniture and medical applications.
"To cope with this increased demand we need a competitive, world-scale
manufacturing plant - and this is exactly what we will achieve with the
expansion at Uerdingen. We will use state-of-the-art technologies and optimize
the whole process. The plant will become less complex, more reliable and
considerably more energy efficient," says Dr. Tony Van Osselaer, member of the
Executive Board at Bayer MaterialScience.
In addition to the polycarbonate expansion at the site, Bayer MaterialScience is
also currently rebuilding chlorine production facilities to increase energy
efficiency. The new facilities will utilize state-of-the-art membrane technology
and the innovative company?s Oxygen Depolarized Cathode (ODC) technology.
Compared with the membrane technology ODC will reduce both electricity use and
indirect CO2 emissions up to 30 per cent.
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