Evonik opens new plant for PMMA aviation

At the end of 2017, Evonik put its stretching and polishing plant for aviation materials made of PLEXIGLAS into operation, based in Weiterstadt, Germany.

The company has invested a two-digit million euro amount in the construction of the new plant to shape its ChemicalBusiness and the plant allows the company to produce polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheets 5.4 meters long and 3.7 meters wide.

Evonik says the market for stretched aviation materials is showing healthy growth but features limited capacities on the supplier side and with the new plant it is now positioned as a full-service supplier of cast and stretched PMMA sheets for the aviation industry.

“With this format, we are making it possible for our partners in the aviation industry to develop entirely new aircraft designs. As the innovation leader in acrylic products, we can guarantee the highest quality standards and absolute reliability with our PLEXIGLAS brand,” said Martin Krämer, Head of the Acrylic Products Business Line.

“Our new plant supplies the largest sheets available anywhere in the world with the lowest possible thickness tolerances. This is real proof of our passion to continue to develop our PLEXIGLAS brand acrylic glass.”

Compared to cast PMMA materials, stretched PMMA sheets display improved impact resistance and higher chemical resistance, which is suited to meet the requirements of the aviation industry.

Evonik will take the first PMMA sheets from the new plant to certify the material in accordance with Mil P-25690 for the North American market and EN 4366 for the European market.