DuPont commits $400 million to Tyvek expansion

DuPont says it will spend more than $400 million to enlarge capacity for Tyvek polyolefin protective sheeting at its site in Luxembourg. The expansion, which will add a new building and a third operating line at the site, will start up in 2021. Growing global demand is behind the investment in Tyvek, DuPont says. The lightweight, durable material has a variety of uses, including for protective garments, medical packaging, graphics, and as a building moisture-protection wrap. The company celebrated 50 years of Tyvek sales last year, but its development began in 1955 with the discovery of a polyethylene fiber by DuPont researcher Jim White.