German speciality chemicals producer Lanxess (Leverkusen; www.lanxess.com) has completed conversion of its largest production line for “Keltan” EPDM synthetic rubber to ACE technology. The company invested around EUR 12m in switching the production line at its Dutch Sittard site in Geleen from conventional Ziegler-Natta chemistry to its ACE process. The new line – EPT 3 – has a capacity of 95,000 t/y, more than half of the total capacity at the Sittard facility, which is claimed to be the world’s largest EPDM plant with an annual capacity of 180,000 t.

The ACE process utilises highly active catalysts, enabling the delivery of a broad range of proven EPM and EPDM grades with consistent quality, chlorine-free and with high degrees of purity, the company said. Lanxess announced the investment of around EUR 12m in the conversion in April at the opening of its Keltan Elastomers business unit headquarters in Sittard – see Plasteurope.com from 23.04.2013.

The company’s EPDM Chinese facility in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province is due to start up in 2015 and will also employ ACE technology. The plant will have a capacity of 160,000 t/y and represents an investment of EUR 235m, Lanxess’ largest project in China to date.