Foams producer Armacell (Luxembourg; www.armacell.com) is doubling its crosslinked PE (XPE) capacity in the US to meet rising demand in the North American market. The company will expand manufacturing capacity at its Spencer, West Virginia, facility, which it said will complement existing capabilities in South Holland, Illinois, where XPE roll and sheet production will be upgraded. In addition, Armacell will install high-performance roll lines at its newly acquired plant in Yukon, Oklahoma, also increasing XPE roll and sheet production.

Installation of the new equipment is now underway and will continue through the first quarter of 2018, with production expected to begin next summer.

Earlier this year, Armacell started PET foam core production in Brampton / Canada with the addition of a new extrusion line for its “ArmaForm” material – see Plasteurope.com of 09.05.2017.

Armacell is also expanding capacity in Asia and the Middle East. In China, a PET foam line, its fourth worldwide, will begin operating by the end of 2018 – see Plasteurope.com of 25.09.2017. The company has been supplying its ArmaForm brand of PET foams in China through Sino Composite (Beijing / China; www.sino-composite.com).

In May, Armacell broke ground on a flexible foam plant in Bahrain – see Plasteurope.com of 29.05.2017. Next year, Armacell Middle East will start producing high-density materials and elastomeric insulation for heating, ventilation and air conditioning applications.