Röhm GmbH (Darmstadt, Germany) announced the successful start of production at its new Bay City, Tex. plant, implementing its proprietary C2-based LiMA technology on a large industrial scale.
“The start of production in Bay City marks a milestone in the company’s history and is also the starting point of delivering next-generation MMA (methyl methacrylate) based on our proprietary LiMA technology that not only benefits the environment but also increases supply security in this growing market,” said Dr. Hans Bohnen, CEO of Röhm. “I am deeply appreciative of our partners and suppliers for their diligent efforts that have been instrumental in bringing this new technology to market. The strong demand for our product has already resulted in many long-term customer commitments. This is a strong testimony of the benefits of our new MMA technology to all stakeholders.”
Röhm’s first C2-based MMA plant in North America using proprietary LiMA technology (Source: Röhm)
Once in full production, the Röhm Bay City plant will produce 250,000 metric tons (m.t.) of MMA annually while delivering several very tangible benefits: the new technology is based on the raw materials ethylene, natural gas and methanol and enables higher product yield, lower energy consumption and reduced water and waste impact compared to traditional production routes.
“Our investment in Röhm reflects Advent’s pursuit of helping to develop and grow innovative, world-class businesses and solutions. The Bay City plant implementing the new LiMA technology brings sustainable and high-quality product to the growing U.S. MMA market, which is currently in a supply deficit in the U.S.,” said Ron Ayles, Managing Partner of Advent International. ”We have invested at the right time in the right place and are now the sole C2-based producer in the U.S.. We look forward to our continued partnership with Röhm to further grow Röhm as the inventor and technology leader in methacrylates globally.”
Röhm has already received strong interest from its customers for MMA produced via its proprietary C2 process. The Bay City plant is ideally situated to serve both U.S. and global markets. “Demand is surpassing our initial expectations. In the coming weeks, we will diligently ramp up production rates and we are already evaluating further growth opportunities for our business,” said Bohnen.