LyondellBasell (Rotterdam, the Netherlands; www.lyondellbasell.com) announced the startup of its fifth production line at its Knapsack, Germany site, making Knapsack the world’s largest polypropylene (PP) compounding facility. The new total annual production capacity for the site is more than 200,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr), with the added line capacity of 25,000 m.t./yr.
This is the latest in a series of debottlenecking projects in LyondellBasell’s polypropylene compounding plants in Europe to support growing demand.
“Our polypropylene materials are helping to increase fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions by aiding in the light weighting of automobiles,” said Frank Noeltgen, Senior Director APS Business Europe. “The development of electric vehicles where components are needed for battery packs and under-the-hood applications is expected to support this trend.”
The expansion of the Knapsack plant is the latest in a series of debottlenecking projects in LyondellBasell’s polypropylene compounding plants in Europe, which supports growing demand. The facility is an important addition to LyondellBasell’s Advanced Polymer Solutions (APS) global business including Milton Keynes and Warrington, UK; Kerpen and Bayreuth, Germany; Dungguan, China; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Tarragona, Spain; Senai Malaysia; Sumare, Brazil; and Evansville, Indiana in the United States.
Approximately 160 LyondellBasell employees are working in Knapsack. With the expansion of the new production line, another 12 jobs were added.