MORRISVILLE, Pa.—Americhem will break ground on a 60,000-sq.-ft. expansion in Morrisville, Pa., at an Oct. 2 event.
The work will include an isolated 20,000-sq.-ft. clean compounding room that will house up to six new compounding lines, officials with Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based Americhem said in a news release.
They added that this clean environment—coupled with ISO 13485 Certification and other procedures—gives Americhem's Engineered Compounds business "unique capabilities to make compounds that meet the most stringent medical device requirements."
A new customer center for technical meetings also is included in the expansion. Jim Figaniak, Engineered Compounds vice president and general manager, said in the release that Americhem "continues to see significant opportunities to grow our existing segments and diversify into new segments."
The Engineered Compounds unit "has become a polymeric solution-providing leader in the medical industry over the past few years," he added.
"To continue supporting this growth, our current customers and influx of new customers, a plant expansion was the next strategic move to make," Figaniak said.
Americhem produces a broad range of concentrates, compounds and additives at 11 sites worldwide and has annual sales of almost $300 million. The firm is one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers, according to Plastics News data.
In 2018, Americhem added an extrusion line for soft polymer compounding at its plant in Suzhou, China, and also acquired Indian materials firm Prescient Color Ltd. The Prescient deal was Americhem's fourth acquisition since 2013.