DALLAS & WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Engineering plastics company Celanese Corporation announced that one of its strategic affiliates, Fortron Industries LLC, will increase production at its Wilmington, N.C., plant to meet an increased global demand for Fortron polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) used in connector electronics, among other applications.
Worldwide demand is growing for Fortron PPS, a high-performance polymer technology used in demanding industrial applications. The specialty material is known to offer excellent chemical and thermal resistance, high hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability, and low creep and moisture absorption. The material is often used instead of metals and thermosets in such applications such as auto pumps, valves, air ducts and powertrains; electronic connectors, plugs, switches and circuit boards; structural and non-structural aircraft components; and heater grilles, impellers, conveyors, power tools, microwave elements and other industrial uses.
Fortron's operation in Wilmington is a joint venture of Kureha Corporation and Ticona Engineering Polymers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celanese. Fortron claims its plant in Wilmington is the world's largest linear PPS operation with a 15,000 metric ton annual capacity.
"Fortron is ramping up production and adding new staff at our Wilmington plant to meet the anticipated demand of our global customers by the end of the third quarter," said Roeland Polet, General Manager, Ticona Engineering Polymers. "We believe Fortron has the leading technology used in the production of linear polymer applications, and this technology advantage can provide customers with a competitive position when manufacturing new applications or redesigning existing components."
Fortron Industries uses PPS production technology that incorporates Kureha's advanced environmentally friendly "one unit" process as well as Celanese's sales, marketing, distribution, compounding and polymer manufacturing expertise.
For more information, see www.kureha.co.jp or www.ticona.com or www.celanese.com.
