Ascend to increase capacity of nylon 6,6 building blocks, polymers
Ascend Performance Materials (Houston; www.ascendmaterials.com), the world’s largest fully integrated producer of nylon 6,6 resin, announced its plans to increase production capacity across its intermediate chemicals and polymers portfolio by 10 to 15 percent to support the continued growth of its customers.
“The global demand for nylon 6,6 and our intermediate chemicals continues to grow at 3 to 4 percent per year in a range of diverse applications,” said Phil McDivitt, Ascend’s president and CEO. “Ascend has cost effective expansion opportunities that allow us to bring additional capacity online as the market needs it.”
Ascend will increase capacity of adiponitrile (ADN), hexamethylene diamine (HMD), adipic acid and polymers through 2018. Ascend’s unique production process allows for quick capacity additions with high capital efficiency and without disruption to operations.
“We have consistently added capacity through our entire nylon 6,6 value chain since 2015, increasing our production by 10 to 30 percent depending on the product with no impact on our customers. We are committed to a continuous, reliable supply to our customers,” said McDivitt.
Unlike many other nylon 6,6 producers, Ascend sells polymers and intermediates into nearly every end use market and geography. “Our more than 60-year history of serving a wide variety of markets has given us an unparalleled understanding of the entire nylon 6,6 value chain,” said Scott Rook, Ascend’s vice president of nylon. “The unique qualities of nylon 6,6 have made it the material of choice in numerous innovative applications.”
“Our capital efficient expansion plans ensure that market demand is met and pricing remains competitive,” continued Rook.
Earlier this year, the company consolidated nylon fiber production at its plant in Greenwood, South Carolina, and added compounding capacity at its site in Foley, Alabama, to better align its business with the market.
“Our energy and capital are focused on supporting customers throughout the nylon 6,6 value chain,” said Rook. “Our recent capacity additions in Greenwood and Foley are in line with our current expansion plan and help us keep pace with market demand.”
The company did not disclose the amount of capital investment related to the expanded production capacity.