news Fire guts Teknor Apex’s UK facility


Teknor Apex’s compounding facility in Oldbury, UK, was 75% destroyed by a fire on 29 April. No-one was injured in the blaze, which is now being treated as arson. The plant produced thermoplastic elastomers plus PA and PET compounds. West Midlands Fire Service


is working with the police as part of the investigation into the fire, which was discovered in the warehouse area at about 13.10 by an employee. Three employees then reportedly tried to fight the flames before the arrival of the West Midlands


Fire destroyed 75% of Teknor Apex’s Oldbury plant in the UK (photo: West Midlands Fire Service)


Fire Service, but they were beaten back. The 31 members of staff who were on site were


evacuated immediately. In all, 13 fire appliances and two hydraulic platforms helped


to put out the fire, which was under control by about 17:00. Teknor Apex said that it is setting up a temporary local business office and a team of people will be on site to evaluate the impact of the fire. It is also working with local authorities to investigate any environmental impact at the site and the surrounding area. Following discussions with customers and suppliers, a manufacturing back-up plan has begun to source materials from other Teknor plants to ensure that orders are fulfilled. ❙ www.teknorapex.com


Asahi Kasei sets up subsidiary in Mexico


Japan’s Asahi Kasei Chemicals is to establish a subsidiary for marketing plastic compounds in Mexico. Provisionally named Asahi Kasei Plastics Mexico, the new firm will be based in the industrial city of Querétaro and will sell and offer technical support for the company’s Thermylene PP, Leona PA 66 and other performance plastic compounds. In the longer term, Asahi Kasei is


evaluating the possibility of manufacturing in Mexico as well. “Continued demand


growth for plastic compounds is forecast in Mexico, where various manufacturing facilities are increasingly located, especially by US, European and Japanese manufacturers in the automotive indus- try,” it commented. The new firm is due to be established in June and start up in September. It will be a 100% subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Chemical and its US arm, Asahi Kasei Plastics North America. The latter currently has 105,000 tons/year of compounding capacity at its


site in Fowlerville, Michigan, but is adding a further 30,000 tons/year at a site in Alabama early in 2016. According to Asahi Kasei, the expansion


of its compounding operations is “a critical element in the strategic growth of its engineering plastics business”. It has also recently expanded its compounding facilities in Asia. As well as the US, it has plastics compounding operations in Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore, and Belgium. ❙ www.asahi-kasei.com


Compounding World Congress sells out


The first Compounding World Congress was a sell-out success in Cologne, Germany last month, attracting over 230 attendees from 22 countries. The exhibition area was also sold out with 25 exhibitors. Next year’s conference will return to Cologne on 18-20 April with a bigger conference room and an enlarged exhibition area. For information on how to participate in the event as a speaker, delegate, exhibitor or sponsor, please contact the conference organiser, Kat Langner: kl@amiplastics.com, tel: +44 117 314 8111. More information is available at the conference website: ❙ http://bit.ly/CWF2016


8 COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2015 www.compoundingworld.com


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