DSM (Heerlen / The Netherlands, www.dsm.com) is upgrading output capability of its high-performance materials compounding plant in Evansville, Indiana / USA up to Q3 2021. In future, the Dutch group said the modernised and expanded site will be equipped to produce the next generation of advanced materials, including bio-based thermoplastics. The investment will help to meet increased demand for DSM’s “Akulon” polyamide 6 and PA 6.6, “Arnite” PET and PBT, “Arnitel” TPC,” EoPaXX” PA 410, “ForTii” PA 4T and PPA, as well as its “Stanyl” PA 46.

Neither the cost nor volume of the project – which is planned to include installation of the latest production technologies to increase efficiency and sustainability – has been disclosed. DSM said the expansion is being driven by increasing demand from multiple industries for advanced material solutions for applications in electrification, metal replacement and lightweighting.

Shruti Singhal, president of DSM Engineering Plastics (www.dsmep.com), said the investment reinforces the group’s focus on North America as a key growth market for its business as well as its commitment to continuously improving the technology and sustainability of its facilities worldwide. “As demand from our customers for sustainable sources of advanced materials grows, so does our need to invest,” added Jud Gibson, vice president commercial Americas at the engineering plastics unit.

Helen Mets, former business group director DSM Resins & Functional Materials, has been appointed executive vice president Materials with effect from 1 March 2020. Mets succeeds Dimitri de Vreeze, who became co-CEO of DSM together with Geraldine Matchett on 15 February 2020 – see Plasteurope.com of 03.12.2019. The British and Dutch national, who additionally will become a member of DSM’s executive committee, joined DSM in August 2017. She is credited with being instrumental in developing and executing a growth transformation for the resins business, strengthening the portfolio and innovation pipeline as well as shaping the digitalisation of DSM Resins & Functional Materials.

DSM’s Materials division saw sales fall almost 6% to EUR 2.74 bn in fiscal 2019. Adjusted EBITDA was down 1% at EUR 509m