Royal DSM N.V. acquires full control of Nylon Polymer Company polymerization facility in Augusta, Georgia, USA

Royal DSM N.V., a global life sciences and materials sciences company based in the Netherlands, and Shaw Industries Group Inc. say DSM has acquired full control of the PA6 polymerization facility of Nylon Polymer Company LLC (NPC) in Augusta, Georgia, USA. Shaw Industries and DSM Chemicals North America were previously joint venture partners in NPC. NPC has been fully integrated into DSM Engineering Plastics’ activities.

For DSM Engineering Plastics the acquisition of the full ownership of the PA6 polymerization facility is critical to the company’s expansion into South America. It also allows the company full integration in the PA6 chain, including caprolactam, polymer and compounded products, in North America, supporting its strong commitment to key customers in the Americas. Last year, DSM opened its first PA6 polymerization plant in China, making it the only company to produce the entire PA6 chain in China, the company says:

“This acquisition represents a major expansion of our polymerization capabilities in the Americas,” says Koen Devits, president of DSM Engineering Plastics Americas. “It helps us to fully exploit our strong backward integration at the Augusta site, where DSM also produces caprolactam, a key raw material for Akulon. The acquisition is also needed to support the additional sales opportunities we have generated, especially in the automotive, furniture and packaging industries.”

Akulon Polyamide 6 (PA6) is a thermoplastic with outstanding mechanical properties over a wide temperature range used in automotive, luggage, sports, electronics, packaging films, lighting and furniture applications, the company says. Caprolactam, produced by DSM Fibre Intermediates, is the raw material for PA6.

www.dsm.com