Covestro Starts PUR Elastomer Production at New Shanghai Plant

Materials to be used in offshore wind turbines and to manufacture photovoltaic panels

German advanced materials supplier Covestro AG has launched production for polyurethane elastomer systems at a new plant at its integrated site in Shanghai. The firm said the plant represents an investment in “the double-digit-million-euro range.” 

It’s the latest move by Covestro to meet sharply rising demand for PUR elastomers in the Asia-Pacific region for applications such as renewable energy, offshore cable protection and silicon wafer cutting rollers of photovoltaic panels. In the past 15 months, the company also expanded the production of elastomer raw materials at sites in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and Barcelona, Spain.  

“The products to be manufactured at our new plant in Shanghai … will assist our customers in meeting the increasing demand for renewable energy solutions,” said Sucheta Govil, chief commercial officer at Covestro.  

The PUR elastomer systems produced in Shanghai can be used for various products. The materials provide protection of subsea cables for offshore wind power and can be used in the manufacturing of photovoltaic panels or in screening media in the mining industry. Generally speaking, these elastomers withstand the harshest of conditions due to their high wear, tear and abrasion resistance.  

The new plant is the latest addition to the Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai (CISS), Covestro’s single largest production site worldwide. CISS is now home to 12 plants. Between 2001 and 2022, the company invested about €3.7 billion euros ($4.07 billion) in the site.