LEVERKUSEN, Germany—Lanxess has opened a new headquarters in Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands, for its Keltan Elastomers business.
The campus spans more than 37,000 square feet and features offices, research labs, exhibition areas and conference rooms. About 125 employees will work at the site.
"With the acquisition of the elastomer business from Royal DSM N.V. two years ago and the creation of the new Lanxess Keltan Elastomers business unit with its headquarters in Sittard-Geleen, Lanxess has become the world's leading producer of EPDM rubber," claimed Werner Breuers of the company's board of management said at the facility's opening ceremonies.
Lanxess is investing about $15.6 million in the Dutch site to convert 50 percent of its EPDM production capacity to Keltan advanced catalyst elastomers technology, which the firm claims reduces the amount of energy required in the production process. The process also makes new types of EPDM possible.
The expansion project is expected to be completed by mid-year.
EPDM rubber produced in Sittard-Geleen is used primarily in the automotive industry as well as in the construction sector and in industrial and electronic applications.
The Lanxess Keltan Elastomers business unit employs about 700 at its plants in the Netherlands, Germany, Brazil and the U.S.