HIGH TEMPERATURE PLASTICS | MATERIALS
Engineering plastics: new owners on the block
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
There is a shake-up going on in the engineering plastics production sector. Acquiring and acquired businesses are relying on long-term growth in automotive demand for products such as high temperature plastics, writes David Eldridge
A wave of ownership changes in engineering plastics production is presenting a new supply picture for injection moulders who use polyamides, PBT and other materials in high-temperature automotive and electronic applications. The groups involved in this industry shake-up are likely to consolidate production and rationalise product portfolios once regulatory approvals are granted and transactions finalised. In February, a deal was announced in which
Celanese is set to buy most of DuPont’s Mobility & Materials engineering plastics business for $11bn. The deal cover’s DuPont’s PA 6, PA 66 and specialty PA materials, PET, PBT and TPEs, plus 29 produc- tion facilities, 5,000 staff, customer and supplier contracts, and related IP. DuPont’s POM business will be sold separately as Celanese already has a leading position in this market. A three-way shift in ownership was revealed on 31 May when producers Lanxess and DSM made
www.injectionworld.com
divestment announcements which will lead to private equity group Advent becoming a significant player in the sector. If all goes according to plan, Lanxess will sell its High Performance Materials business unit to a new joint venture it is creating with Advent, in which Lanxess will own a share of up to 40%. The HPM business will then no longer be fully consoli- dated at Lanxess, which will have an option to divest its stake in the JV to Advent after three years. DSM also announced on 31 May that it would sell its Engineering Materials business to the Advent-Lanxess JV. It has also agreed to merge with Swiss flavours and fragrances house Firmen- ich, indicating a permanent move away from the plastics sector. DSM Engineering Materials pro- duces PA 6, 66, 46 and 410, plus PPS and speciality polyesters. It has about 2,100 employees at eight production sites and seven research centres. Lanxess HPM is a major producer of PA 6, PBT and thermoplastic fibre composites and it has 1,900
September 2022 | INJECTION WORLD 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
