May 27 2013
International Process Plants has a PET polyester fiber plant available for immediate sale. The plant's previous owner produced high-modulus, high-tenacity, low-shrinkage polyester yarns. The plant also produced low-shrinkage sewing thread for clients in the automotive, marine, coated polyester, geogrid, geotextile, landscape and outdoor fabric industries.
IPP director of plants Michael Joachim is optimistic about the polyester fiber market. He explains, "the polyester fibre market accounts for around two-thirds of the overall PET market, and some analysts expect this market to continue growing for the next decade." He cites growing developing economies and new applications developed by manufacturers as reasons for the surging polyester fiber market.
Joachim notes three types of companies that would benefit from the purchase of a polyester fiber plant like this one, which can be purchased, moved and rebuilt for a fraction of the cost and time of building new. First, current producers of similar polyester fibers could add incremental capacity through the acquisition of this plant. Second, the plant is a clear opportunity for PET chip manufacturers who want to diversify their revenue stream by moving up the value chain, away from the overcrowded PET resin market. The plant has the flexibility to produce fibers and yarns used in a wide variety of polyester fabrics, with an even wider base of end users. Finally, this plant would be attractive for manufacturers of polyester fabric-based products in competitive markets, such as automotive manufacturers that produce tires, belts, hoses and tubing. Those types of manufacturers could improve their profitability by vertically integrating their supply chain.
Polyester fiber production at this self-contained, one-step plant is spread across four spin-draw lines that together can produce 6,500 metric tons per year. The highly automated facility uses solid state polymerization technology and features equipment from well-known process equipment manufacturers including Buhler, Rieter and Oerlikon Barmag. When operating, the plant maintained ISO certifications 9001 and 14001.