DuPont Engineering Polymers (European HQ: PO Box 50, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex) announced a series of expansions that will increase its capacity and supply capabilities for "Delrin" homopolymer acetal resins in world-wide markets. DuPont Dordrecht Works, Netherlands and Washington Works, USA will increase production of "Delrin" acetal resins, adding over 45.000 t/y of capacity at a cost of about $ 45m. The additional capacity will begin to come on stream by the end of 1995. This expansion is in response to the strong growth of the "Delrin" business during the past 2 years following the introduction of the superior-performing "Delrin" P resins. The added capacity is an integral component of DuPont's global acetal supply network that serves customers in all their worldwide locations.

In addition and to support the rapid growth in Asia Pacific, DuPont will also start to manufacture "Delrin" at the DuPont China Ltd Shenzen plant in Guangdong Province, China. Production at Shenzen is expected to begin by the end of 1995. This will be the first DuPont engineering polymer manufactured in China and will be China's first locally produced homopolymer. Shenzen, together with Ulsan in Korea, Utsunomiya in Japan and Tuas in Singapore, is now the fourth site in Asia for the production of DuPont acetal. – DuPont will continue to expand its network of production sites in Asia and will continue to build facilities close to the customer in order to provide first class service and quality products that are tailored to local needs, said Tom Connelly, global business manager for "Delrin" acetal resins.

Eduard J.C.M. van Wely, vice president and general manager of the Engineering Polymers business, stated that this expansion further reinforces DuPont's position as the leading global supplier of semi-crystalline engineering polymers. He went on to point out that the 30k tonne phase 1 PBT polyester expansion announced for Uentrop in Germany, the doubling of "Zytel" nylon 6.6 resin capacity in Richmond, USA by 1998, the new nylon 6.6 polymer resin plant in Singapore that will come on stream by mid-1995 and compounding capacity increases in several locations around the world clearly demonstrate DuPont's leadership position as a global supplier of engineering polymers.