NEWS


US compounding start-up to set up in South Carolina


A new US-based compounding start-up, Orion Performance Compounds, is to invest $13m to establish a 4,600m2 manufacturing plant at Lugoff in South Carolina. Production is expected to start in Q2 of this year. Orion Performance Compounds


COO Tom Drye — a compounding industry veteran and former Techmer executive — said the new plant will be equipped with three compounding lines in its first phase, a combination of twin and single screw equipment. It will also include R&D and QC laboratories. “Orion Performance Compounds will focus on high-end custom


Exxon starts Gulf PP plant


ExxonMobil has started production of PP at its new polyolefins plant at Baton Rouge in Louisiana, US, increasing its Gulf Coast PP production capacity by 450,000 tonnes/yr. The company said the new capacity will help meet demand for high-perfor- mance, lightweight, durable plastics for demanding end-use application sectors such as automotive, medical and food packaging. “With the startup of this


new production unit, we are well positioned to responsi- bly meet the growing global demand for these high-performance poly- mers,” said Karen McKee, President of ExxonMobil Product Solutions. �www.exxonmobil.com


www.compoundingworld.com


engineered compounds,” Drye told Compounding World. “The portfolio will be broad based — high mechanical performance, lubricated, conductive (electrical and thermal), FR, custom colour — with a broad look at renewable resins and reinforcements.” He said the company has already “multiple projects” on the table for launch and a number of other poten- tial customers interested in its com- pounding business offer. “Orion core doctrine is the right product, at the right time,” he said. “Delivering initial samples in two weeks or less and production quantities among the best


lead time in the industry.” The Lugoff location, in Kershaw


County, was selected after an extensive multi-state search, Drye said. “The state of SC and Kershaw County were very welcoming to our planned business and removed any hurdles along the way.” The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project, which is expected to create 54 positions. The council also awarded a $300,000 Set-Aside grant to Kershaw County to assist with the costs of building improvements. � tdrye@orioncompounding.com


Herman Miller opts for ocean plastics


Herman Miller’s Sayl office chair is the latest in its product portfolio to be offered with some ocean-bound plastic content. The company says each chair will contain up to 1.3kg of “mismanaged plastic waste found near waterways.” The precise content will depend on the colour, with black compounds containing most. Already used in the company’s iconic Aeron chair, it says the expanded ocean plastic initiative will divert an estimated 95m tonnes of polymer each year. � https://millerknoll.ecomedes.com/


Maag acquires Witte Pumps Maag President Ueli Thürig


Maag said last month that it had acquired Witte Pumps & Technology, a German developer and manufacturer of gear pumps and aftermarket parts. Following the purchase, Maag will integrate the Witte gear pump operations with its own to create a combined Gear Pumps business unit. This will be led by Witte Gear Pumps Managing Director and former owner Dr Sven Wieczorek. “The acquisition of Witte represents a major step in making Maag the go-to partner for our customers’ most critical and demanding gear pump needs,” said Maag President Ueli Thürig. He said the move would extend the group’s product portfolio and geographical coverage. �www.maag.com �www.witte-pumps.com


January 2023 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 5


IMAGE: MAAG


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