Dow has announced that it is making an investment in methyl acrylate production in the US Gulf Coast as part of Dow’s efforts to improve reliability and access to raw materials through larger, centralized capacity.

The new 50 kiloton nameplate capacity of methyl acrylate, set to be online in the first half of 2022, will be produced at St. Charles Operations in Louisiana, USA and will enable global growth with a focus on supplying North American demand.

“Methyl acrylate is a critical component of a wide range of applications where we are seeing a rise in market demand, from water treatment and thermoplastic products to inks, resins and packaging materials,” said Jim Knaub, Global Business Director, Dow Performance Monomers & Plastics Additives. “This investment in methyl acrylate capacity will better support our customers not only in America, but on a global scale as well. We look forward to the possibilities that will be enabled by the investments being made in Louisiana.”

Once the capacity increase comes online, St. Charles Operations will primarily focus on the production of methyl acrylate and 2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate. Ethyl acrylate production will be fully supported by Deer Park Operations in Texas, which has the capacity to manage existing demand for customers.