DSM ENGINEERING PLASTICS EXPANDS ARNITEL® CO-POLYESTER CAPACITY BY 25 PERCENT IN RESPONSE TO GROWING GLOBAL DEMAND

Growing global demand for Arnitel® TPE-E (thermoplastic elastomer ether ester block copolymer) has brought about a planned expansion of the Emmen, Netherlands, DSM Engineering Plastics plant. The expansion will add an additional 25% capacity by mid 2004 and is the second such increase in Arnitel® production in the last five years. Arnitel® innovation and production is centred in emmen, and from here product is shipped worldwide.

The expansion will ensure continued rapid fulfillment of orders, which have been increasing fast every year. Demand in Europe, where Arnitel® is a market leader, has shown a steady upturn. In the U.S. and Asia Pacific, where Arnitel® is finding rapid acceptance in a range of new applications, growth is proportionately much faster.

“DSM’s innovations in polymer development and compound formulation have historically been done in collaboration with our customers. They have shown their appreciation of the better performance and lower overall system costs possible with Arnitel® by using more of it,” said Philippe Rey, DSM’s global business manager for Arnitel®. “Right now, we have sufficient production capacity—we are investing in additional production to ensure continued availability in the foreseeable future.”

Arnitel® is formulated for durability, fatigue resistance, flexibility, elasticity, permeability to water vapour, chemical and oil resistance, and thermal stability. It exhibits low-temperature ductility and high-temperature strength, combined with excellent moulded surface finish.

The Arnitel® TPE-E family grades include E and P types, traditional polyether-ester formulations; and U grades, based on unique polyester-ester technology that extends the temperature range of the formulation.

Arnitel® is engineered for a wide range of demanding applications, from automotive airbag covers and constant-velocity axle joint boots, to energy absorption assemblies and low-noise gears in consumer goods, to films and wraps for medical and textile needs.

Superior performance and lower system cost in comparison to traditional elastomers has resulted in the adoption of Arnitel® for a continuously growing list of components.

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