SITTARD, Netherlands (Jan. 16)—DSM N.V.'s DSM Engineering Plastics unit plans to increase capacity for its Arnitel polyether-polyester block copolymer thermoplastic elastomers at its plant in Emmen, Netherlands, by 25 percent by midyear.
The expansion project is the second such increase in Arnitel capacity in the last five years, DSM said, and is in response to new demand for the TPE in Europe, as well as increasing penetration in U.S. and Asia Pacific markets. "Right now, we have sufficient production capacity—we are investing in additional production to ensure continued availability in the foreseeable future," Philippe Rey, DSM's global business manager for Arnitel, said in a prepared statement. Arnitel is used in applications such as automotive airbag covers, constant-velocity axle joint boots, energy absorption units and films for medical applications.