Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com today announced the official opening of its new polypropylene (PP) catalyst production facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The new plant, developed and implemented in cooperation with CB&I The Woodlands, Tex; www.cbi.
com), makes the Louisville site Clariant’s largest U.S. production hub for catalysts and marks a further investment by Clariant to accelerate growth in North America.
Clariant has significantly expanded its presence in the North American region over recent years, with sales increasing from $939 million in 2011 to $1,120 million in 2015. Its 1,800 regional employees work across 41 locations. In addition to its Catalysts business, Clariant focuses in the U.S. on supporting customers through its Oil Services and Industrial & Consumer Specialties businesses.
The addition of the PP catalyst facility further strengthens Louisville as the most important site for Clariant’s Business Unit Catalysts in North America. It combines sales, technical service, R&D, technical center, pilot plants and production.
The new PP catalyst facility is part of Clariant’s long-term strategic partnership with CB&I’s Novolen technology business. The innovative catalysts produced here will help the global polypropylene industry to efficiently produce a complete portfolio of polypropylene resins.