MOSCOW (MRC) -- On 10 November 2020, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. announced it will invest USD13 million for the expansion of its existing Termoli, Italy, plant to create a state-of-the-art manufacturing hub for its Niax polyurethane additives, reported GV.
The site, which currently produces high performance additives for rigid foam applications among other silicone-based products, will undergo a comprehensive technology upgrade to expand services to the EU slabstock foam industry.
The modernised facility will supply customers in Europe, Russia and Turkey with full production ramp-up expected by the middle of 2022. Momentive said this investment is part of its broader plans to optimise its global manufacturing footprint, whereby a silicone plant in Antwerp, Belgium, ceased operations earlier this year with long-term manufacturing shifting to the Italy plant.
“This investment expands our commitment to in-region manufacturing and supply, which will help us to serve our customers even better – providing a high level of flexibility and consistent, high quality products,” said Dr. Alberto Melle?, Global Business Segment Leader for Polyurethane Slabstock Additives.
To further underscore its commitment to serving European customers within the region, Momentive recently established a new customer service support centre in Milan (Italy). The transition from a third-party supplier to the new centre began in October 2020 and will be completed by year’s end.
“We continually seek new ways to improve and enhance our production and manufacturing capabilities and capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers. These investments position us for long-term sustainable growth and enable us to remain a valued supplier to those European-based customers who are seeking a trusted source of additives,” added VP Nalian, President and General Manager for Momentive’s Performance Additives business unit.
In addition to the Termoli (Italy) site, Momentive serves the polyurethane foam industry through its Sistersville, WV, USA, Itatiba, Brazil, Nantong, China, and Chennai, India, operations.
As MRC wrote earlier, in August 2020, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (Waterford, N.Y.) outlined a series of steps to accelerate its global transition from commodity basics chemicals to specialty silicones – actions that will focus the company’s strengths and expertise on advanced technologies. The steps include a USD15-million investment in specialized Electronic Materials Production and the sale of its Consumer Sealants Business. The company also envisions a two-year transition away from basics chemicals production at its Waterford facility, which began operations in 1947.
We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in September 2020 by 6.7% year on year.
At the same time, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 6.1% in the first nine months of 2020, according to Rosstat's data. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the January-September output. September production of primary polymers decreased to 852,000 tonnes from 888,000 tonnes in August due to shutdowns in Tomsk, Ufa and Kazan. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 7,480,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 16.4% year on year.
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