LANXESS Launches New Production Line for Water-Based Compounds

LANXESS Launches New Production Line for Water-Based Compounds Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has commissioned a new production line for manufacturing water-based compounds at its Nantong site in China. The operation belongs to the Urethane Systems (URE) business unit, which also produces polyurethane dispersions, a key component of these compounds. Under the Pellart brand, these products are used in numerous functional coating applications where high requirements are needed in terms of haptic properties, chemical resistance, gloss level, temperature and abrasion resistance, and most importantly, the lowest possible volatile organic compound (VOC) content. Typical application areas include flat materials for automotive interiors, namely instrument panels, seats and door panels, as well as decorative films for consumers and industry. [caption id="attachment_130663" align="aligncenter"] The Nantong facility in China produces polyurethanes and lubricants across more than 100,000 square metres. Photo source: LANXESS[/caption] Water-based and thus environmentally friendly products are forming a strong global trend. Michael Timm, Head of Marketing and Development for URE Cast Elastomers, said: "We see strong potential with attractive growth rates as the automotive industry continues to shift from solvent-based to environmentally friendly water-based coatings." With the new production line, the company will be able to supply its customers in Asia with modern and environmentally friendly Pellart products. Through the application development centre opened by LANXESS in Shanghai in June 2021 and backward integration into PU dispersions, rapid development and customer proximity are being achieved. As a result, LANXESS is thus offering its customers a highly flexible setup that enables rapid scaling of newly developed, customer-specific Pellart formulations. [caption id="attachment_130664" align="aligncenter"] LANXESS has commissioned a new production line for manufacturing water-based compounds. Photo source: LANXESS[/caption] LANXESS manufactures polyurethanes and lubricants at its Nantong facility spanning more than 100,000 square metres. Urethane products include hot-cast prepolymers that are components of specialty polyurethanes, used primarily in the construction, mining, oil, gas, sports equipment and electronics industries. These polymers are used, for example, to manufacture cylinders, tyres and wheels, conveyor belts, screens, seals and similar products. Source