Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a leading global technology and specialty materials company, today 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).
The Fortron Industries plant in Wilmington is the world's largest linear PPS operation with a 15,000 metric ton annual capacity. Fortron’s operation in Wilmington is a joint venture of Kureha Corporation and Ticona Engineering Polymers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celanese.
The Fortron(R) linear polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) plant in Wilmington, N.C., is the world's largest linear PPS operation with a 15,000 metric ton annual capacity.
There is a growing worldwide demand for Fortron PPS, a high-performance polymer used in demanding industrial applications. This specialty material offers excellent chemical and thermal resistance, high hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability, and low creep and moisture absorption. Fortron PPS 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 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.