Evonik Industries officially broke ground in Marl for construction of a new production plant for specialty polyamide 12 (PA12) powders. The specialty chemicals company will thus increase annual capacity for its Vestosint brand of PA12 powders by 50 percent. The amount invested lies in the mid-double-digit million euro range. The new plant is scheduled to come on stream at the end of 2017. Dr. Ralph Sven Kaufmann, Chief Operating Officer of Evonik, says: "Organic growth is an essential cornerstone of our long-term growth strategy, which is why we're continually investing in new capacities and innovative products. With the Marl investment we're also further consolidating our leading position as a supplier of polyamide 12 based high-performance polymers."
Dr. Claus Rettig, Chairman of the Management Board of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH, says: "Our polyamide 12 powders are targeted at highly attractive markets such as the coatings industry and additive manufacturing. We see strong potential for growth here. New production capacities in Marl will enable us to service the growing demand for specialty high-performance polymers."
Evonik's Resource Efficiency Segment is the market leader in polyamide 12 powders, which are marketed under the Vestosint brand name. The powders are used, for example, for coating of metals in household goods such as dishwasher racks, in the automotive industry, and in medical technology. For many years Evonik has also been developing specialty polymer powders that allow industrial production of high-tech components in 3D printing. Vestosint impresses here by its high quality, and its processing behavior and property profile are optimally suited to the relevant 3D printing technology.
Vestosint is a modified PA12 powder produced from polyamide granules by a special proprietary process at Evonik's Marl site.
