Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Middle East Foam & Polyurethane
  • UTECH Asia/PU China
  • UTECH Europe
  • UTECH Las Americas
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Coronavirus
  • News
    • Asia
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • M & A
    • Financial results
    • Automotive
    • Introducing UTECH Southeast Asia 2022
      PU for rechargeable electrostatic face masks
      Stellar Q4 performance saves Wanhua 2020 earnings
      2020 proved fruitful for Vitafoam Nigeria
    • Mlily to increase US market share following anti-dumping duties
      US footwear imports up 25% in November 2020
      Introducing UTECH Southeast Asia 2022
      PPG buys polyurea company Versaflex
    • Bosnian producer to invest in new PU panel factory
      Covestro wins ISCC Plus certificate for Krefeld MDI
      Car sales down 25% in Western Europe in 2020
      Plixxent joins PU Europe
    • PPG buys polyurea company Versaflex
      Recticel buys FoamPartner
      Recticel upgrades Q3 outlook despite raw material tightness
      Covestro broadens PU portfolio with DSM purchase
    • Mlily to increase US market share following anti-dumping duties
      Stellar Q4 performance saves Wanhua 2020 earnings
      2020 proved fruitful for Vitafoam Nigeria
      Perstorp granted new credit facility
    • Car sales down 25% in Western Europe in 2020
      Patchy coronavirus effects hit global car sales in November
      November continues fall in Western Europe's car sales
      Antolin's business improved in Q3 2020
  • Data
  • Information
    • Country Overview
    • Market Sector overviews
    • Technical articles
    • Company profiles and strategies
    • China’s PU industry on the path to recovery; plans for technology upgrades
      Chinese cold chains grow bigger
      Flexible foam rises to challenges in the Middle East and Africa
      Life at the cross-roads: what does the GCC offer PU?
    • Europe's flexible foam makers face rising prices as outages hit markets
      Western European car registrations rebound slowed in September
      Western European car registrations regained some ground in August
      Western European Car registrations rebound continued in July
    • Take out the VOC with hybrid release agents
      Batteries give pultrusions power
      Seeing a way through VOC and FOG
      Aromatic polyols for simpler rigid PU formulations
    • Hennecke and Frimo: an automotive partnership
      Pushing ahead: AutoRIM drives KM’s UK growth
      BASF opens it first ‘Creation Center’ in Mumbai with a PU twist
      Persistence pays off for CTM
  • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Conferences
    • Webinars / Livestreams
    • Become a Speaker
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Issues
  • Subscribe
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Information
June 07, 2011 11:00 PM

Stepan's APP capacity reaches 90 ktpa

Simon Robinson
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    by Louise McHenry UTI staff

    Phase one of chemical company Stepan's expansion at its aromatic polyester polyol (APP) plant in Wesseling, Germany, to 90-95 kilotonnes-per-annum (ktpa) capacity from 52 ktpa started in mid May, according to Stepan's vice president of European Polymers, Roger Stubbs.

    A second phase, in 2012, will see Stepan debottleneck the plant (pictured right) to 120 ktpa, depending on market conditions such as rising costs of raw materials - and associated concerns within the insulation industry about polyurethane competitiveness - added Stubbs, in a 13 May interview in UTl's London office,

    To help it tackle possible fluctuations in the insulation market, Stepan has appointed two new executives in Europe, Stubbs said.

    Former Cairn and Chemtura executive David Sedler has joined Stepan as business development director, to "squeeze the last drop out of all new applications and territories," said Stubbs.

    Carlos Ruiz-Pombo is the new commercial director, focusing on existing business and customers. "I'll be taking some of the weight off Roger's shoulders," Ruiz-Pombo said.

    Stepan Europe's recent acquisition of Polish APP and systems supplier Alfa, with a plant in Brzeg Dolny, has broadened the company's range, as it specialises in making APPs from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

    Stubbs said Stepan has not yet made a firm decision on whether to grow and expand the Alfa systems business, or to sell it on.

    Alfa has capacity for 20-25 ktpa for APPs and 15 ktpa of systems blending, and a financial analysis has already been done on a second reactor, the Stepan team said.

    Stubbs noted that Alfa's technology allows the company to process materials that were not traditionally part of Stepan's remit. "The assets there allow us to handle solids [Germany is all liquids]. The technology is based on a wide variety of exotic acids and glycols ...  and allows us to make a wider range of polyesters, aromatic and aliphatic polyesters."

    Such diversity will mean Stepan is less dependent on insulation. Stubbs specified CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers), uses as potential outlets: "They get wrapped up in an acronym but are massive in their own right," he pointed out. Sedler's appointment is relevant here with his extensive CASE expertise.

    Sedler also suggested that Stepan is contemplating a move into speciality polyester polyols for the technical flexible foam market. "We don't want to go into the commoditised aspects of the flexible foam market," Stubbs said.Sedler added that Stepan did not intend to compete with polyether or adipate-based polyols, but was looking at different chemistry for value-added  niche markets.

    Discussing Stepan's traditional markets of APPs for the flexible- and rigid-faced sandwich panels industry, Stubbs said that a major influence here is the burgeoning interest in energy conservation and therefore building insulation. Stepan Europe is seeing high single­ digit growth for APPs, of around 8-10 percent, due to the demand in insulation. "You can only do so much with double glazing. The biggest bang for your buck comes w ith insulation," Stubbs said.

    Also a lever for growth is the transition from polyurethane to polyisocyanurate (PIR) formulations by insulation suppliers. Stubbs compared the transition to white bread moving to brown bread and added, "Of course, we're selling the brown flour." Noting that PIR is gaining market share because of its fire performance and cost, Stubbs concluded. "That's why we believe that you've got a solid 15 percent growth year-on-year for the next three to five years for APP in Europe."

    Recommended for You
    Making the case for TPUs
    Making the case for TPUs
    From cell to slope
    From cell to slope
    China’s PU industry on the path to recovery; plans for technology upgrades
    China’s PU industry on the path to recovery; plans for technology upgrades
    Latest Issue
    Click HERE for Free Download
    View All Archives
    Get our newsletters

    Breaking news and in-depth coverage of essential topics delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe today

    Register to access our archive of leading information on the polyurethanes industry.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Youtube

    Follow us on social media for the latest polyurethanes industry news and event updates.

    Logo
    Contact Us

    Office 127,
    61, Willow Walk,
    London
    SE1 5SF
    E-mail us
    +44 (0) 203 287 5979

    Customer Service:
    +1 313 446 0450

    Resources
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Staff
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Coronavirus
    • News
      • Asia
      • Americas
      • Europe
      • M & A
      • Financial results
      • Automotive
    • Data
    • Information
      • Country Overview
      • Market Sector overviews
      • Technical articles
      • Company profiles and strategies
    • Events
      • Exhibitions
      • Conferences
      • Webinars / Livestreams
      • Become a Speaker
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Issues
    • Subscribe