MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—Addivant more than tripled its capacity to produce its Weston 705 nonylphenol-free antioxidant with a new expansion at its Morgantown facility.
The multi-million-dollar expansion is the first in a series of three investments into the product line, according to Serge Rogasik, vice president and general manager of global performance materials business.
This phase of investment does not add any square footage onto the facility, but Rogasik said it will increase the output of the plant by more than 40 percent by adding several dedicated reactors for Weston 705. He did not disclose what kind of equipment was being upgraded or added.
The expansion also includes creating 15 new jobs. The Morgantown facility already supports more than 120 employees, according to Rogasik. He did not share projected plans for the upcoming investment phases.
"This is an area where we're going to continue to keep growing," he said. "One phase is this year, and we've just completed that one. There will be another one next year, and probably another one after that in 2019-20. It's a multiple-stage growth."
This year's investment is focused on expanding Addivant's production capability for the Weston 705 antioxidant by more than three times to meet growing demand in a global market, Rogasik said. Markets in the Americas and Asia have been the major drivers for both elastomers and polyolefins. The company has continued double-digit capital expenditures during the last four years.
As Addivant's main phosphite antioxidant plant, the Morgantown facility is a strategic part of meeting that demand. The company also will be establishing Weston 705 production in Asia in upcoming months as the company follows up with customers locally, Rogasik said. Addivant has 11 plants worldwide and also will be undertaking minor expansions at those facilities in line with demand.