Construction work on the largest investment to date by the specialty chemicals company Evonik in Germany, at more than €400 million, is progressing well. The first plant was completed on schedule in mid-October and is currently being commissioned. Further plants will follow by the first quarter of 2021, with full completion expected in the first half of 2021.
Marcus von Twistern, who is in charge of the entire project, states: "The project team has done an excellent job over the past months under the conditions of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. " Challenges such as interrupted supply chains or entry restrictions for assembly personnel had to be overcome. Von Twistern emphasizes: "We have always found solutions, so we do not currently expect any major delays for the complete completion of the polyamide 12 plant complex". Work on the concrete and steel structures has been completed, most of the units have already been delivered and installed, and the piping and electrical installations are in full swing. The future operating team has also already started training the new work processes.
With the additional plants for polyamide 12 and its precursors being built at the Marl Chemical Park in North Rhine-Westphalia in addition to the existing production facilities there, Evonik will increase its overall capacity for the polymer by more than 50 percent. "Polyamide 12 is an important part of our strategic growth for special applications," says Dr. Claus Rettig, head of the Smart Materials Division. "With the new plant complex, we are consolidating our position as a market leader for this high-performance polymer." Polyamide 12 is used in attractive growth markets such as automotive engineering, gas piping, sports and 3D printing.
