German specialty chemicals producer Lanxess ( Leverkusen; www.lanxess.com) has officially inaugurated the new headquarters of its Keltan Elastomers EPDM rubber business unit in Sittard-Geleen / The Netherlands. Commenting on the new complex at Chemelot Campus, unit head Günther Weymans said, “The opening of the new headquarters of our still young division marks the beginning of a new era for us.” Lanxess had acquired Royal DSM’s elastomers business two years ago (see Plasteurope.com of 15.12.2010), in the wake of which the Keltan Elastomers unit was created (see Plasteurope.com of 16.01.2013). The new HQ occupies an area of about 3,500 m² and will be home to about 125 employees, the company said.

Aside from the new administrative hub, Lanxess is also investing EUR 12m in the Dutch site to convert 50% of its EPDM production capacity to its “Keltan ACE technology”, requiring much less energy and allowing for the production of new types of EPDM. The company said the expansion is proceeding apace and due to be completed by mid-2013. The EPDM rubber produced in Sittard-Geleen is mostly used in the automotive, construction, industrial and E&E sectors.

The Keltan Elastomers business unit employs about 700 people across sites in The Netherlands, Germany, Brazil and the US. Of these, about 270 are based in the new unit headquarters. Lanxess is in the midst of construction what it claims to be the world’s largest EPDM rubber production plant in Changzhou / China. The EUR 235m facility is due for start-up in 2013, and will be able to turn out about 160,000 t/y – for more details, see also Plasteurope.com of 06.09.2012. Part of Lanxess’ Performance Polymers segment, the Keltan Elastomers business unit posted sales of EUR 5.2 bn in financial 2012.