Lanxess Plans Investments In Brazil

Lanxess has unveiled a series of investments at its site in Porto Feliz, Brazil, where it says it is constructing a “major specialty chemicals hub.” The company is planning to build a 20,000-metric-ton-per-year plant to make its Durethan nylon and Pocan polyester engineering polymers by the middle of 2013. In addition, the company’s Rhein Chemie unit will build a plant at the site to make its Rhen­ogran rubber additives and its Rhenoshape curing bladders, which help to form tires in their final dimensions. Lanxess’ total investment of about $40 million includes a previously announced project to make biobased rubber at its plant in Triunfo, Brazil (C&EN, Sept 26. page 16).