Milliken Increases Capacity
Milliken expanding capacity, warehousing space at recently acquired Zebra-chem facilities in Germany.
Milliken & Company is taking a bold step to meet anticipated market demands by expanding the facilities and capacity it acquired last March when it bought Zebra-chem GmbH in Germany. Zebra-chem is a specialty compounder and chemicals company that specializes in polyolefin, PVC, and engineering thermoplastic additive and blowing agent concentrates.
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Milliken expanding capacity, warehousing space at recently acquired Zebra-chem facilities in Germany. (Photo © 2022 Milliken & Company, all rights reserved, MKPR269)[/caption]
Milliken will be able to increase production capacity at the acquired Bad Bentheim plant by 60% by the end of the year thanks to the expansion. At the plant, which will be renamed Birch I, Milliken plans to install new manufacturing equipment and hire additional employees. It also constructed Birch II, a new warehouse nearby. Milliken has been a leader in environmental sustainability for more than a century, and the company's tradition of naming locations after trees is a testament to that core value.
“We are seeing very strong demand from several end markets where these products are adding value, and our customer base has welcomed our broader solution portfolio,” said Milliken Sales Manager Tugce Asici-van Houselt. “These facilities will continue to serve the global market, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”
The viscosity modifiers and performance modifiers made at the German plant increase melt flow of recycled PP resins with little to no loss of physical properties, enabling more recycled content to be used by the converters and brand owners without compromising overall performance.
“Milliken is known for its sustainable innovation,” notes Wim Van de Velde, Global Vice President, of Milliken’s Plastic Additives Business. “We are excited to be able to leverage its leading position in Europe to help accelerate market solutions that improve and increase manufacturing with recycled plastics. This expansion signals that the market is clearly responding.”
Solid concentrates are also produced at the facility, which are used as chemical blowing agents in the production of foamed thermoplastics. These agents are suitable for use in PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, and allow for lightweighting as well as improved thermal and sound insulation without compromising mechanical properties. They can be used by converters in foam processing methods such as extrusion and injection molding.
Milliken says it is on track to fully integrate the acquired operations during this calendar year.
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