OBERNBURG, Germany (May 25)—Rayon tire cord producer Cordenka GmbH will invest $6.3 million this year to modernize and expand rayon production at its Obernburg factory.
Cordenka, formerly part of Acordis Industrial Fibers B.V., is raising annual capacity by 1,500 metric tons, or 4.9 percent, to 32,000 tons through plant modernization and investment in new equipment, the firm said.
This is the company's second 1,500-ton expansion in the past 15 months and is part of a long-term project to boost capacity to 40,000 tons, Cordenka said. It is being undertaken to meet rising demand for ultra-high-performance tires, which use rayon tire yarn because of its high resistance to heat and stress.
Cordenka also has a converting operation in Gorzow, Poland.