Nylon producer Ascend to build China HMD plant

The nylon producer Ascend Performance Materials plans to build a hexamethylenediamine (HMD) plant in Lianyungang, China. HMD is combined with adipic acid in a polycondensation reaction to make nylon 6,6 polymer. Ascend says the plant, of undisclosed size, will be its first chemical plant outside the US. The firm plans to begin construction later this year for start-up in 2023. Invista, an Ascend competitor, also has been investing in China. It plans to double nylon 6,6 capacity in the country and is building a plant for adiponitrile, the precursor to HMD.