DuPont Announces Kevlar® Expansion Plans
Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont plans
to invest $500 million to expand production capacity for its Kevlar® para-aramid fiber by more than
25 percent. The multiphase growth will begin with a polymer expansion at its facility in Richmond,
Va., with additional expansion phases expected to be complete by 2010.
“Global demand for DuPont™ Kevlar has soared with the growing need for safety and security worldwide,” said Thomas G. Powell, vice president and general manager, DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems. “In addition, high energy prices have increased demand for the lightweight strength of Kevlar in the aerospace, oil and gas, and automotive industries. Our capacity expansion plan is a critical step in growing the Kevlar business, maintaining DuPont leadership in high-performance fibers, and delivering the innovation customers expect from DuPont.”
“This is a significant investment for DuPont and underscores our commitment to sustainability and providing products that improve the safety and protection of people and critical processes around the world,” said Mark P. Vergnano, group vice president, DuPont Safety & Protection. “We are focusing our investment on products like Kevlar that meet the needs of these multi-billion-dollar growth industries for high-performance, innovative materials.”
DuPont has recently invested in both the Kevlar and Nomex® brand fibers. The company announced in August 2006 that it would invest $100 million to expand Nomex® fiber and paper capacity. The first phase of this investment will start up before the end of the year. In addition, the company completed four Kevlar fiber expansion projects between 2000 and 2006. Those projects incorporated DuPont’s proprietary New Fiber Technology (NFT), which the company considers essential to meet future market needs.
September 25, 2007
“Global demand for DuPont™ Kevlar has soared with the growing need for safety and security worldwide,” said Thomas G. Powell, vice president and general manager, DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems. “In addition, high energy prices have increased demand for the lightweight strength of Kevlar in the aerospace, oil and gas, and automotive industries. Our capacity expansion plan is a critical step in growing the Kevlar business, maintaining DuPont leadership in high-performance fibers, and delivering the innovation customers expect from DuPont.”
“This is a significant investment for DuPont and underscores our commitment to sustainability and providing products that improve the safety and protection of people and critical processes around the world,” said Mark P. Vergnano, group vice president, DuPont Safety & Protection. “We are focusing our investment on products like Kevlar that meet the needs of these multi-billion-dollar growth industries for high-performance, innovative materials.”
DuPont has recently invested in both the Kevlar and Nomex® brand fibers. The company announced in August 2006 that it would invest $100 million to expand Nomex® fiber and paper capacity. The first phase of this investment will start up before the end of the year. In addition, the company completed four Kevlar fiber expansion projects between 2000 and 2006. Those projects incorporated DuPont’s proprietary New Fiber Technology (NFT), which the company considers essential to meet future market needs.
September 25, 2007
Advertisement