DuPont expands ethylene copolymer capacity

DuPont Co, based in Wilmington, Del., U.S.A., is spending US$150 million for the expansion of its ethylene copolymer operation in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. In Dordrecht, the Netherlands, the firm will expand its capacity for its Fusabond modifiers and Bynel adhesive resins by 2009 in its Victoria, Texas, U.S.A. plant, DuPont will boost the production of its Elvax ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer. In Orange, Texas, U.S.A., DuPont will also boost its Surlyn ionomers (Surlyn) and Vamac ethylene acrylic elastomer production. The expansion projects at Wilmington and at Orange will be concluded in 2008 and in 2009. The construction of a 130 million pound per year EVA plant near Beijing, China, in alliance with China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) is expected to be on stream by 2008. The expansion projects at the four locations are expected to boost DuPont’s overall ethylene copolymer capacity by more than 200 million pounds per year. Sales from the Performance Materials unit (nylon, ethylene copolymers, and other specialty plastics) grew by 8% to US$1.7 billion in . The unit saw a 39% pretax profit of US$219 million. (May 7, 2008)