By John Osborne, UT staff
Heerlen, The Netherlands-In order to meet soaring demand for polyurethane dispersions Royal DSM NV will be building a new plant to make these high quality waterborne coating systems. Production is expected to start in mid 2007. The total investment is about Euro 20 million.
The new plant will produce polyurethane dispersions to be marketed by DSM Coating Resins and DSM NeoResins. It will be built at DSM Coating Resins' existing production site in Meppen, Germany. There DSM produces mainly specialty products like saturated polyesters, epoxy esters and polyurethane resins.
Specialty polyurethane dispersions that DSM acquired from Hüttenes Albertus Lackrohstoffe in 2004 will be made in the new plant.
According to DSM demand for polyurethane dispersions is growing fast because these dispersions do not require VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These are environmentally damaging solvents. Polyurethane dispersions are increasingly used in decorative trim coating applications (eg DIY paints). They are also used in industrial wood (eg parquet coatings), and metal coatings.
DSM Coating Resins and DSM NeoResins are part of the DSM Resins business group and specialise in the development and manufacture of resins for coating systems. "
