Invista Nylon Chemicals (China) Co. announced plans to double its current nylon 6,6 polymer production at Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) and signed a memorandum of cooperation with SCIP at a ceremony today. Following a 40,000-ton/year capacity increase in 2020, this new increased production, with an investment of 1.5 billion RMB (230 million USD), will double the plant capacity to 400,000 tons/year and strengthen Invista’s integrated nylon 6,6 value chain in China. The new capacity will also enable Invista to more quickly respond to the growing demand for engineering plastics in automotive, electrical and electronics, and other application fields.
The need for nylon 6,6 polymer has risen drastically in recent years. According to Wood Mackenzie’s 2020 Yellow Book report, the estimated compound annual growth rate for nylon 6,6 through 2029 is approximately 2 percent globally and 4 percent for China. China’s demand for nylon products could account for more than half of the total production and consumption of nylon in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to become the world’s largest nylon consumer.
Located at SCIP, the expanded production line will be equipped with six batch autoclaves and three continuous polymerization lines. The additional capacity will support the development of engineering polymer, industrial and apparel segments, and satisfy the downstream application requirements for nylon 6,6 products and solutions, including stronger mechanical properties, higher temperature resistance, and higher heat resistance.
“The growing nylon 6,6 polymer demand in China and the Asia Pacific region has encouraged us to continue our investments over the past years. With this expanded capacity, we will be able to help our customers meet their growing demands for nylon products,” said Pete Brown, Invista’s executive vice president of nylon polymer.
“We truly appreciate SCIP’s support for our ongoing investment in China and are excited to deepen cooperation to consolidate our nylon 6,6 value chain here. With the expanded capacity, we look forward to providing the supply of nylon 6,6 polymer that our customers need for their projects, and we hope to co-develop innovative solutions and applications with our customers and partners across the industries,” said Angela Dou, Director of Intermediates, Asia.
Construction of the product lines is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2022 and be in operation in first quarter of 2024. Supporting the expansion is Invista’s upcoming Asia Innovation Center, which will bring strengthened research and service capabilities to support downstream partners as they seize growth opportunities driven by innovation and high-quality development. Together with the ongoing construction of the 400,000-ton/year ADN plant, Invista is committed to contributing to the transformation and upgrading of the local nylon industry.
