Americhem Inc., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, has added a new line at its Manchester, United Kingdom (U.K.), plant to produce customized masterbatches for synthetic turf applications. The line is expected to increase the company's color and additive masterbatch capacity by more than 2 kilotons annually. Americhem has nearly doubled the plant's manufacturing space by expanding into an adjacent 50,000-square-meter facility.

The company also will begin operating a synthetic turf yarn pilot line later this year at its manufacturing plant in Dalton, Ga., to supplement production in Manchester. Americhem will use the line to perform raw material testing of pigment palettes, stabilizers, and additives; and conduct spin process studies and new formula developments as well as in-house customer trials.

September/October 2011