Charlotte-based DAK Americas LLC — a manufacturer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, polyester staple fiber, terephthalic acid and purified terephthalic acid monomers, and specialty polymers; and a subsidiary of Mexico-based conglomerate Alfa S.A.B. de C.V. — has acquired the PET resin business of Wellman Inc., Bay St. Louis, Miss., including Wellman's PET resin manufacturing facilities in Bay St. Louis, which produce some 950 million pounds of PET resin annually and employ some 165 workers. The facilities will be integrated into DAK Americas' Resins Business Unit.

The addition of the Bay St. Louis capacity brings DAK's total annual PET resin capacity to about 4.3 billion pounds, and its share of capacity in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region to some 37 to 39 percent -— making DAK one of the leading regional producers of PET resin, according to Ricky Lane, DAK's director of corporate communications.

The Bay St. Louis plant produces PET resin for use in bottles and other container applications, and DAK reports it plans to continue the operation as is, with no planned consolidation or other changes.

September/October 2011