3M (St. Paul, Minnesota / USA; www.mmm.com) subsidiary Dyneon (Burgkirchen / Germany) has commissioned a new fluoropolymer production plant at the Gendorf industry park in Burgkirchen and simultaneously laid the foundation stone for yet another production line. The site’s new capacities come at a price tag of EUR 60m, Dyneon said, adding that 40 new jobs will be created as a result.

“This capacity expansion is the result of the ongoing rise in global fluoropolymer demand since 2010,” said Dyneon board spokesman Burkhard Anders. Start-up of the newly commissioned line had been delayed by a construction pause during the economic crisis, as a result of which the new facility took 39 months to build. However, once complete, trial production proceeded without any problems, Anders added.

The second facility, the foundation stone for which was now laid, will double Dyneon’s fluoropolymer output at the site. Exact nameplate capacities, however, remain unclear. Fluoropolymers are used in the automotive field, among others, to prevent fuel emissions from escaping the tank or pipes. Other usages include weather-resistant protective films for photovoltaic plants.

According to own estimates, 3M is one of the world’s leading fluoropolymer producers. The 540 employees at its Dyneon subsidiary last posted sales of EUR 250m.